The Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPeg) committee is planning to implement strict rules for .jpg files which might make copying the files harder.
JPeg oversees how the image format is implemented, and has called for controls over how image data is accessed due to issues related to copyright infringement and privacy concerns related to people in the images and the privacy of the photographers.
The committee highlighted the fact that photographs were being redistributed without relevant rights information attached, which made them easy to be copied or published again without permission.
JPeg is planning to introduce digital rights management (DRM) to the standard JPEG format.
It is expected to improve privacy and security of the images by encrypting metadata about a photo which includes information related to where and when it was taken.
The JPEG 2000 standard presently features the DRM options which are primarily used by professionals in the medical field and the movie industry.
Jpeg committee convener Touradj Ebrahimi said that the committee might not going to change the JPeg format, but it is looking at technological solutions once the specifics of the new proposals is decided.
Presently, users can protect an image from being viewed by publishing it on websites with their own privacy protecting software, like in Facebook.
However, if the photograph is taken from that site by someone who has access to it, then it can be freely distributed to anyone.
Jpeg comitee said: "Currently, these concerns are not well addressed and [are] an inhibiting factor in the further proliferation of digital content distribution."
