A method for authenticating that a specified prerecorded media, such as a CD ROM, is in the possession of a user and then permitting said user having possession of the specified prerecorded media to download audio, video, or other information over a network of interconnected electronic devices is provided. The method comprises the steps of prompting a user to place the specified prerecorded media, e.g., a selected CD, into a drive connected to the electronic device, e.g, a CD ROM (or DVD ROM) drive of a computer, accessing information, for instance information that is descriptive of the data on the prerecorded media, in a CD ROM in the CD ROM drive, and determining whether the accessed information fits a predetermined criteria. If the prerecorded media has the predetermined information, then the user of the electronic device is allowed to download additional data via the network.