content protection technical working group (CPTWG)

In 1996, leading technology companies and companies in the film and entertainment industries formed the Content Protection Technical Working Group (CPTWG) to protect copyrighted content against unauthorized use.

The CPTWG, which does not develop techniques itself, has, however, driven the development of several techniques for copy protection and encryption in the transmission of multimedia content by defining market realities, criteria, and needs, and evaluating each technique.

The CPTWG's activities impact many areas of the entertainment industry, including DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, set-top boxes, and digital TV.