Subject: Protocol Action: 'MIME Type Registrations for 3GPP Multimedia files' to Proposed Standard

From: The IESG <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 20 May 2004 12:16:56 -0400

The IESG has approved the following document:

- 'MIME Type Registrations for 3GPP Multimedia files '
   <draft-singer-avt-3gpp-mime-01.txt> as a Proposed Standard

This document has been reviewed in the IETF but is not the product of an
IETF Working Group. 

The IESG contact person is Allison Mankin.

Technical Summary
 
    This document specifies the MIME types audio/3gpp and video/3gpp,
     which are file transport format containers for several types of audio
     and video data.

   The third-generation partnership project (3GPP) for third-generation
    cellular telephony has defined a standard file format to contain
    audio/visual sequences which may be downloaded to cellular phones
    [3GPP].  At the time of writing, the 3GPP file format (3GP) can
    contain H.263 or MPEG-4 video;  and AMR Narrow-band or AMR 
    wide-band speech, or AAC audio;  and 3GPP timed text.

    Within the file, there is an "intrinsic file-type box", which identifies
    those specifications to which the file complies, and which players
    (possibly compliant with only one specification) are permitted by the
    content author to play file.  This identification is through four-letter
    'brands', which are required to appear in the files identified by the
    MIME type defined here.  The extension of the formats covered
    by these MIME types is by 3GPP standards, in a compatible brands
    lists.

    The MIME types defined here are needed correctly to identify such
    files when they are served over HTTP, included in multi-part
    documents, or used in other places where MIME types are used. 
 
Working Group Summary
 
   The specification is not an IETF document, but it was reviewed for its
    handling of multimedia issues by the AVT working group, and its
    advancement was supported there.  A four week Last Call in the 
    IETF resulted in no comments from the IETF.
 
Protocol Quality
 
   The specification was reviewed for the IESG by Allison Mankin.

   A result of the review was to add notes of several risks of this format:
   
   The formats covered by audio/3gpp and video/3gpp are extensible, so
    that while currently none have active content, in future there may be
    risk from that vector.

   These file download formats do not have encryption or authentication
    methods available for them, so the end-user needs to be aware of risks
    to the content.

   Data integrity for the formats within the type would seem like a good idea 
   given the clearly noted point about digital rights management usages for
   the formats within these MIME types:  "selected metadata fields containing
   information partly intended to protect the media against unauthorized
   use or distribution. In this case the intention is that alteration or
   removal of the data in the field would be treated as an offence under
   national agreements based World Intellection Property Organization
   (WIPO) treaties."

  The specification gives clear notification of each of these risks.

   RFC Editor Note:

   In Section 3 MIME Types, add the new text beginning with "Ongoing"
   indented underneath "none".  It is not possible to show the
   proper format due to the tools used for approval announcement
   in the tracker system.

   OLD
    
Optional parameters:               none

   NEW
Optional parameters:               none

     Ongoing work related to this registration may introduce
     new optional parameters.  One example area of effort may
     introduce a parameter that would allow for codecs
     in use within the MIME type to be asserted and determined 
     without examination of the file.  Those with interests in the   
     area should monitor registrations for updates.

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