The U.S. Copyright Office has made new changes to the DMCA and there's some big ones in the mix. For one, it's no longer illegal to circumvent copy protection in order to copy a DVD for use in the classroom - under certain circumstances.
Every three years, the office examines American copyright to see how it needs to be adjusted to account for changes in technology. One of the things it looks at is DRM (digital rights management) technology that affects the ability of people to make use of works in a way that does not infringe copyright, such as using a brief clip in a classroom for educational use.
Six classes of work are now exempt from DMCA prosecution for circumvention of access measures, according to
the statement of the Librarian of Congress Relating to Section 1201 Rulemaking.
1) FIlms on DVD that are being copied in order to "accomplish the incorporation of short portions of motion pictures into new works for the purpose of criticism or comment" by college and university professors and students engaged in documentary filmmaking or making noncommercial videos.
2) Computer programs that allow you to use legitimately purchased software on your phone if there is no other way to allow the program to be run on the device.
3) Computer programs that allow the user to use their phone on a different network.
4) Video games whose DRM is being circumvented for the purpose of security tests.
5) Computer programs with obsolete dongles. The Copyright Office notes, "A dongle shall be considered obsolete if it is no longer manufactured or if a replacement or repair is no longer reasonably available in the commercial marketplace."
6) Ebooks that contain access controls that prevent enabling a book's read-aloud function or screen readers.
THe DMCA (DIgital Millenium Copyright Act) was passed in 1998, and criminalizes the production or dissemination of technology or services that circumvent digital rights management intended to control access to copyrighted works.
