As many of you will know,
321 Studios are the creators of the DVDXCopy software. This software can create
perfect back-ups of your DVDs, even if they are copy protected. This is of
course great for us consumers but it has gotten the company in a lot of legal
trouble. Today, thanks to GristyMcFisty for using our news submit , we can read that 321 Studios is
responding today on Hollywood's second
lawsuit against the company:
 On Monday, November 17, 2003, Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount
Pictures filed suit against 321 in the United States District Court in the
Southern District of New York. The suit alleges that 321's products
violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
"321 Studios
remains steadfast in our position - that Americans have a "fair use" right
to make backups of legally purchased DVDs for personal use," declared
Robert Moore, 321 Studios President and Founder.
In April 2002,
321 sued nine major motion picture studios in the Northern District Court
of California, not for damages but for clarification of the vague and
confusing language that makes up the DMCA and to confirm its position that
consumers who legally purchase a DVD are entitled under the law to make a
personal backup copy. 321 Studios is currently waiting for summary
adjudication in this case.
"In the end, this fight is not about
making backups of DVDs, it's about big business stepping into your living
room and telling you what to do with your property," Moore continued.
"This new lawsuit shows disregard and total disrespect to both consumers'
rights and to the California federal court judge, Susan Illston, who is
currently reviewing this identical legal matter."
321 Studios is also engaged in a similar legal fight
in the United Kingdom. Last August, the UK's Motion Picture Association
(MPA) filed a lawsuit in the UK High Court against the company. 321 Studios has vowed to fight for consumers'
digital rights on all fronts, throughout the world.
321 Studios has built into its software several
anti-piracy measures, including a digital "watermark" which allows a
backup to be traced back to the computer that made it. In addition, 321
Studios' software will not make a copy of a
copy. |
I wonder what the outcome will be of these lawsuits. So far 321
Studios has survived all the lawsuits although some of them are of course still
ongoing. If we find out more we'll of course let you know. In the meantime, you
can check out the complete article here.
Source: Mi2N
