[Athen] DMCA and Fair Use

[Berkowitz, Daniel J]

The conversations we as a profession typically have regarding Fair Use
and Copyright tend to focus on Chaffee and Copyright Law. It has never
been clear to me how the DMCA impacts what we do -- if at all. Anyone
have info on this? Or should I not be concerned?

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2007/02/digital_fair_use_bill_in
troduc.html

Digital 'Fair Use' Bill Introduced In Congress:

Today, Reps. Rich Boucher (D-Va.) and John Dolittle (R-Calif.)
introduced what they call the "Freedom and Innovation Revitalizing U.S.
Entrepreneurship" (or FAIR USE) Act they say will make it easier for
digital media consumers to use the content they buy.

The lawmakers seek to amend the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act,
which content-makers, such as movie studios and record labels, fought to
pass to protect their wares from getting stolen and pirated.

But that law goes too far, the lawmakers say.

"The Digital Millennium Copyright Act dramatically tilted the copyright
balance toward complete copyright protection at the expense of the
public's right to fair use," Boucher said in a statement. "Without a
change in the law, individuals will be less willing to purchase digital
media if their use of the media within the home is severely
circumscribed and the manufacturers of equipment and software that
enables circumvention for legitimate purposes will be reluctant to
introduce the products into the market."

The legislation is being backed by the Consumer Electronics Association,
the trade group of electronics-makers, among others.


 
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Daniel Berkowitz - Assistant Director
Boston University Office of Disability Services
19 Deerfield Street, 2nd floor
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djbrky at bu.edu (eMail)
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