Please send this page now to people who might buy gifts for you, to make sure they don't get you a gift that would be bad for your freedom.

It's the holiday season, many people are buying gifts. Gifts for co-workers, friends, family and even strangers.

Recently I received a gift from a stranger -- a copy of Blood Bowl for Windows. Based on the fantasy football board game of the same name, the gift may have seemed like a no-brainer for someone who doesn't know you very well, and may be forced to buy a gift based on your apparent likes and dislikes from your posts on a forum or website. What was intended as an innocent gift from a well-wishing anonymous giver was actually an instrument of DRM. What kind of DRM, I don't know, but that the game proudly announces online activation is an indication that there's some.

What is DRM? Well, companies who produce games like Blood Bowl will describe DRM as Digital Rights Management. However, since its purpose is to restrict you the user, it is more accurate to describe DRM as Digital Restrictions Management. DRM Technology can restricts users’ access to movies, music, literature and software, indeed all forms of digital data. Software implementing DRM technology is simply a prison in which users can be put to deprive them of the rights that the law would otherwise allow them..

Share this list with your friends, family and other potential-gift givers. Share it now on your social networks and blogs.

We're going to keep this list up and going over the next few weeks, so please send us your ideas and suggestions.

Send ideas and suggestions to: info@defectivebybydesign.org — we'll be publishing the best ideas every weekday until Christmas.

Video games

• Most video games are proprietary and most of them implement some DRM. Instead of buying a DRM or proprietary game, why not donate to a free software project instead? There are many free software games which could use your support.

Music

• Don't buy iTunes gift cards... instead buy cards which support DRM-free music without the need for proprietary software, such as CD Baby, Amazon or eMusic.
• If you're in the UK (or not as the case may be) please consider the deliciousness of having 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence at Number 1 in the charts...)

DVDs/Blu-Ray

• Most DVDs and apparently all Blu-Ray discs have DRM. Some anime and independent movie DVDs may be DRM-free, so check first. Alternatively, why not take a friend to the movies instead? Many cities have independent cinemas that show movies other than the mainstream Hollywood feature.

Laptops and tablets.

Buying a laptop? Don't buy a laptop from Apple or a laptop with DRM operating systems like Windows Vista or Windows 7 installed... instead buy a laptop running GNU/Linux. The FSF has a page listing some vendors who are suitable, with Lenovo and others make tablets that can run GNU/Linux.

Cellphones

What would a cellphone without DRM look like? Sadly most phones sold come with proprietary software and inevitably some DRM. Support projects like OpenMoko and Replicant by buying devices to help those projects succeed.

eBooks

The DRM situation with eBooks has not improved significantly in the last year. DRM is still the default for almost all eBooks and eBook readers. Instead of giving someone a gift that's going to stop them from lending you books, buy them some excellent used books where possible, and save a tree.

Please send this page now to people who might buy gifts for you, to make sure they don't get you a gift that would be bad for your freedom.