Output protection is the set of policies a DRM license imposes on what the device may do with the decrypted picture: which display outputs are permitted, what HDCP level is required, whether analog outputs are blocked, and whether screen capture or external recording is disallowed. It closes the "analog hole" and screen-grab paths that encryption alone cannot.
These controls are dictated by content contracts - studios specify them per content tier (especially 4K/HDR and early-window releases). The license server returns them with the key, and the player and platform secure module must enforce them, downgrading or blocking playback when the device cannot meet the requirement. Output protection is therefore a contractual obligation as much as a technical feature.
