Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA)

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Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) specifies the rights of copyright owners and users of digital media.

• created by congress to help protect copyrights in the digital world
• enacted in 1998
• contains provisions that help insulate internet service providers (ISPs) from the actions of their customers
• makes it a crime to publish methods or techniques to circumvent copyright protection

Structure of The DMCA

• Title I
  • implements two WIPO treaties
  • contains provisions about technological measures used to protect electronic copyrighted works
• Title II
  • called the Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act
  • limits the liability of online service providers for copyright infringement by users
• Title III
  • called the Computer Maintenance Competition Assurance Act
  • allows computer technicians to make a copy of a computer program for maintenance or repair
• Title IV
  • contains miscellaneous provisions
• Title V
  • called the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act
  • creates a new form of IP protection for the design of vessel hulls

DMCA Basics

• DMCA Unintended Consequences