DMCA
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Since they were enacted in 1998, the "anti-circumvention" provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") have not been used as Congress envisioned. Congress meant to stop copyright pirates from defeating DRM restrictions (aka content or copy protections) added to copyrighted works and to ban the "black box" devices intended for that purpose.
In practice, the DMCA and DRM have done nothing to stop "Internet piracy." Yet the DMCA has become a serious threat that jeopardizes fair use, impedes competition and innovation, chills free expression and scientific research, and interferes with computer intrusion laws. If you circumvent DRM locks for noninfringing fair uses or create the tools to do so, you might be on the receiving end of a lawsuit.
EFF has fought hard against the DMCA in the courts, Congress, and other forums. Learn more through the links below, and take action now to support DMCA reform.
DMCA Cases
In The News
- ARS TECHNICA | January 16, 2009 FreeYourPhone.org launches, pushes for new DMCA exemption
- ARS TECHNICA | January 09, 2009 EFF proposing DMCA exemption for iPhone jailbreaking
- TECH DIRT | January 08, 2009 Fox News Uses DMCA To Take Down Videos Used In Commentary
Other Resources
- January 15, 2009 Free Your Phone
Related Issues
- DMCA RulemakingEvery three years, the U.S. Copyright Office convenes a rulemaking to consider granting exemptions to the DMCA's ban on circumvention to mitigate the harms the law has caused to legitimate, non-infringing uses of copyrighted materials.
- Digital VideoDigital Video Restrictions
Whitepapers
Deeplinks Posts
- January 08, 2009 Calling All iPhone Developers: Support EFF's DMCA Exemption for Jailbreaking
- January 07, 2009 Apple Shows Us DRM's True Colors
- January 05, 2009 UMG v. Veoh: Another Victory for Web 2.0
Press Releases
- January 15, 2009 EFF Kicks Off Campaign to Free Your Phone
- December 02, 2008 Copyright Office Should Right DMCA Wrongs in Rulemaking
- October 27, 2008 EFF Marks 10th Anniversary of DMCA with Report on Law's Unintended Consequences