The origin and authenticity of the file received may be checked by digital

signatures or by MD5 or other message digests. These simple features of the

Internet, over a worldwide basis, are changing the production, sale, and
distribution of anything that can be reduced to a computer file for
transmission. This includes all manner of print publications, software
products, news, music, film, video, photography, graphics and the other arts.
This in turn has caused seismic shifts in each of the existing industries that
previously controlled the production and distribution of these products.