Method of controlled access to content

1. A method of controlled access to content among a set of devices actively communicating with each other over an access sharing network, comprising:

joining, via a sharing application, a first device of the set of devices to the access sharing network, wherein the first device participates in a session of the sharing application with a second device in one or more interactive channels on the access sharing network, wherein the one or more interactive channels consists of one of an instant messaging channel, a discussion forum, a message board and a multiplayer game;

obtaining, at the first device, a content item from the access sharing network, wherein access to the content item (i) is restricted and (ii) requires a license that contains (ii)(a) access control data and (ii)(b) a decryption key to enable a requested operation that includes playback and recording operations of the content item at the first device, wherein (iii) the access control data (iii)(a) comprises one or more permissions that are granted with respect to the requested operation of the content item and (iii)(b) specifies an originating URL address of the content item assigned to at least one device of the set of devices of the access sharing network, and wherein the decryption key is necessary to decrypt the content item;

obtaining, at the first device, the license that contains the access control data and decryption key from the second device;

determining, at the first device, in response to (i) successfully evaluating the license that contains the access control data and the decryption key and (ii) verifying that the content item (ii)(a) is obtained from the originating URL address of the content item within the access sharing network to prevent sharing without authorization by an owner of the original of the content item and (ii)(b) is accessed from a right context of the requested operation to prevent a sharing of the content item embedded in a different context, that the first device is authorized to perform the requested operation of the content item; and

granting access and enabling the requested operation of the content item at the first device in accordance with the access control data determined from the license by using the access control data and the decryption key only in response to (i) verification that the content item is (i)(a) obtained from the originating URL address of the content item and (i)(b) accessed from the right context, and (ii) a positive determination that the second device is still an actively participating member in the session of the sharing application of the access sharing network.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

using the access control data at the first device during a predetermined period of time after making a determination that the second device has ceased to be an actively participating member of the access sharing network.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

ceasing the performing of the requested operation of the content item at the first device in response to detecting at the first device that no data has been received from the second device for a predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

computing, at the first device, a validity period of the access control data from data indicating an activity level of the second device on the access sharing network.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the activity level comprises a predetermined amount of activity in the one or more interactive channels provided on the access sharing network.

6. A first device configured for controlled access to content among a set of devices actively communicating with each other over an access sharing network, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a sharing application executable by the microprocessor for use in (i) joining an access sharing network and (ii) obtaining a content item from the access sharing network, wherein the first device is configured to participate in a session of the sharing application with a second device in one or more interactive channels on the access sharing network, wherein the one or more interactive channels consists of one of an instant messaging channel, a discussion forum, a message board and a multiplayer game, and wherein access to the content item (i) is restricted and (ii) requires a license that contains (ii)(a) access control data and (ii)(b) a decryption key to enable a requested operation that includes playback and recording operations of the content item at the first device, wherein (iii) the access control data (iii)(a) comprises one or more permissions that are granted with respect to the requested operation of the content item and (iii)(b) specifies an originating URL address of the content item assigned to at least one device of the set of devices of the access sharing network, and wherein the decryption key is necessary to decrypt the content item;

a digital rights management (DRM) application executable by the microprocessor for obtaining the license that contains the access control data and the decryption key from a second device over the access sharing network, the DRM application further for determining in response to (i) successfully evaluating the license and (ii) verifying that the content item (ii)(a) is obtained from the originating URL address of the content item within the access sharing network to prevent sharing without authorization by an owner of the original of the content item and (ii)(b) is accessed from a right context of the requested operation to prevent a sharing of the content item embedded in a different context, that contains the access control data and the decryption key that the first device is authorized to perform the requested operation of the content item, and for granting access and enabling the requested operation of the content item at the first device in accordance with the access control data determined from the license by using the access control data and the decryption key only in response to (i) verification that the content item is (i)(a) obtained from the originating URL address of the content item and (i)(b) accessed from the right context, and (ii) a positive determination that the second device is still an actively participating member in the session of the sharing application of the access sharing network.

7. The first device of claim 6 , wherein the sharing application module provides to further devices in the access sharing network certified information regarding content usage on the first device.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a computer program containing instructions for causing a programmable device to operate as the first device of claim 6 .