Domain manager for extending digital-media longevity

A system is disclosed for providing trusted third-party management of user device domains in a digital rights management environment. The system includes a plurality of content providers that distribute digital content items via user accounts having associated user device domains. The user device domains are managed by an independent domain manager. The domain manager includes a device registrar which is operative, for a given user device domain, to receive a request to add a device to the user device domain. If the request is grantable, a domain controller of the domain manager is operative to cause a domain private key to be transmitted to the device being added to the user device domain. The domain private key is usable at the device to decrypt a content key which was previously released to the user device domain for decrypting protected digital content.