Death by DMCA

IEEE Spectrum Online ^ | June, 2006 | Fred von Lohmann and Wendy Seltzer

[Windcatcher]

A flood of legislation released by the passage of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act threatens to drown whole classes of consumer electronics

In 1998, U.S. entertainment companies persuaded Congress to make dramatic changes in its copyright code by passing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The DMCA gave copyright holders new rights to control the way people use copyrighted material and new protection for technologies designed to restrict access or copying. The movie and record companies argued they needed these new restrictions to fight increased piracy threats in the digital era.

In the eight years since the DMCA's passage, however, piracy has not decreased, and hurdles to lawful uses of media have risen. The Motion Picture Association (MPA), the international arm of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), estimated worldwide losses because of piracy to be US $2.2 billion in 1997 and $3.5 billion annually in 2002, 2003, and 2004.

Meanwhile, entire consumer electronics categories have been wiped from retail shelves. If three or four years ago you didn't buy a digital video recorder that automatically skips commercials, you're out of luck; that feature is not in such products today. Television executives brought litigation that bankrupted the company offering DVRs with these user-friendly features, because skipping commercials potentially undermines their ability to sell commercial time.

[Windcatcher]

Long read, but a real eye-opener and informative. Make sure to pay close attention to which Congressman are listening to this insanity and what we're missing out on as a result.

[Echo Talon]

In 1998, U.S. entertainment companies persuaded Congress to make dramatic changes in its copyright code by passing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

I wonder why Clinton always gets a pass...

[Liz]

BTTT

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

David Moynihan of Blackmask.com has been in touch with David Rothman of the TeleRead blog, and Rothman relays the following information from Moynihan:

Quote:
They [Conde Nast] sent a DMCA Takedown Notice,

We’ve issued a counter-notice,

The ISP has deemed said counter valid, and oh yeah, the LOC [Library of Congress copyright office] just approved the transfer of all Doc and Shadow titles (with reservations).

It unfortunately takes 10 days from receipt of counter notice until my two sites can be back up.

My favorite book site was taken down by this group.

The Doc Savage were long out of copyright.