Set forth herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for processing media requests in a secure way. A server configured to practice the method receives, from a media player client, a request for media content. The server requests a playback token from a playback service associated with the media content and generates a tag containing the playback token. Then the server transmits to the media player client a response to the request for media content based on the tag, wherein the media player client retrieves the media content by presenting the playback token to the playback service. The media player client can be an embedded media player or other player in a web browser. The server and the playback service can operate based on a common, pre-shared feed token. Other playback client and playback service embodiments exist.