First of all what is the DMCA? The DMCA is a set of laws first enacted in 1998. The Act was modified on 2000, and again on 2001, 2004, and 2007. Its goal was to update the Copyright act of 1973 for the digital age.
In a world with MP3 playing capabilities in everything, portable media devices that play all types of movies and Digital Rights Management (DRM) technologies there was a gap in the law. Copyright holders were unable to hold their copyrights to the same standards and thus unable to receive compensation for their work.
Why should you care? Just more fat cats getting fatter right? Well this misconception is part of the problem. The money that is paid for a DVD or a CD doesn't just go to the DVD producer, the actors, or the recording artists. This money goes to the stagehands, the microphone operators, the mixing board handlers, the sound technicians, even the janitors. So in effect, every DVD that is ripped and stolen is killing the livelihood of hundreds of people.
Again why should you care? Experts Exchange is based in California. This means that though a majority of its operations happen in the no-man's-land of the internet, means it is still bound by California, and United States law.
The DMCA is a part of US law, and regardless of your like or dislike of the law, the MPAA, RIAA, or the money hungry artists, actors, etc, by accepting membership on this website you are agreeing to abide by those laws.
If your question is questionable, you will be asked to provide further information (like if the work is copyrighted). This question is not an accusation or a threat, it is only meant to treat everyone the same. In an effort to curb the overflow of reckless disregard for the law I have taken it upon myself to champion the cause.
You may ask what gives me the right to do that? As a citizen of the US, as a Member of this site, and various other reasons, it is my DUTY to uphold the law. Just as someone witnessing a murder should report that, I am doing the site a favor.
For further information on this subject please refer to following links:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/help.jsp#hi27 (section 3.4(J))
http://www.experts-exchange.com/help.jsp#hi119
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMCA
Comments (5)
Commented:
In the framework of Experts Exchange falling under U.S. Law, this means that we, as Experts, cannot assist you in circumventing copy protection or access protection, nor can we point you to tools, should such exist, which would assist you in doing so.
Author
Commented:I would cut and paste the article but I think there is some law against that too.
Author
Commented:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use#Common_misunderstandings
This is about the common practice of claiming "fair use" that many copyright violators use. This portion of the article is "debunking" common misunderstandings about "fair use".
Author
Commented:Economies
http://www.mpaa.org/piracy_Economies.asp
Entertainment Industry
http://www.mpaa.org/piracy_EntInd.asp
Consumers
http://www.mpaa.org/piracy_Consumers.asp
And as to laws... Yes your country is affected by copyright laws...
International Law
http://www.mpaa.org/piracy_IntLaw.asp
US Federal Law
http://www.mpaa.org/piracy_FederalLaw.asp
Legal alternatives to piracy
http://www.mpaa.org/Public_Performance.asp
Reguarding musical piracy
http://www.riaa.com/physicalpiracy.php?content_selector=piracy_online_the_law
General Piracy Information
http://www.riaa.com/faq.php
--------------------------
This should get people closer to understanding the law, the impact on everyone, and what is the right and wrong thing to do.
Commented:
That being said, copying digital media that is Copyrighted but not copy protected, is STILL a copyright violation but it is not a violation of the DMCA. Only works that are copy protected can be covered under the DMCA.