It appears that Apple, Microsoft, Sony BMG, ASCAP, RealNetworks, Warner Music, EMI Music, Universal Music Group and many others are all getting behind a universal tagging/metadata format (called DDEX) for all music formats. The report on News.com says that intitally it will be used to better track digital paid downloads via the various online music services, but then will likely spread to to consumer formats (possibly MP3, AAC and others?). Sounds interesting. Likely the music rightsholders will better be able to track pirated copies floating around via a type of UPC-like code or something.

Your thoughts - good or bad idea?

Full story at: http://news.com.com/New+group+to+standardi...ml?tag=nefd.top

Quote from story:
"In addition to streamlining rights reporting and sales, a long-term goal for DDEX is to eventually standardize the meta-data consumers use to digitally sort and organize their music.
That would mean that information such as artist name, track labels and other related content would appear in a standard format across devices and music programs."

Link to new Digital Data Exchange (DDEX) standards group site: http://www.digitaldataexchange.com/

tracking system?..

ET Phone Home¿?

what's to gain for the consumer that isn't already possible vs. what's to lose in way of privacy issues

seems like a no-brainer, really..

Yeah, Apple and Microsoft working together with the Music Industry Big Boys. Isn't that a hoot and a surprise from supposed rivals in digital audio (iPod/iTunes vs. WMA music stores/formats, etc.). I wonder who was behind this: Steve Jobs, Steve Ballmer or the music machine?

Another garbage DRM-related standard that is probably DOA.