A few days ago we reported about Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., who sent a letter to executives of the recording industry's trade association, asking whether anti-piracy technology on CDs might override consumers' abilities to copy albums they have purchased for personal use. Here's the follow-up:
Boucher told an audience of musicians, lawyers and music industry executives at the Future of Music policy summit that his bill would modify section 1201 of the DMCA to allow consumers to defeat copy-protection measures for legitimate personal uses, but it would still outlaw circumvention efforts for piracy.
"I'm very concerned about the DMCA," Boucher said. "There's an increasing number of instances in which unjust results are reached."
Last week, Boucher sent a letter to some record industry executives that asked whether anti-piracy technology on CDs might override consumer rights. His questions related to a separate law, the Audio Home Recording Act, which allows music listeners to make some personal digital copies of their music.
On Monday, Boucher pointed out that Vivendi Universal's Universal Music Group will soon release its new CDs in copy-protected form, making them impossible to play on personal computers and some CD systems as well.
Consumers should be able to use computer programs to defeat that copy protection, he said.
"What do you say to the guy who only wants to use that code so the CD he bought will play on his computer?" Boucher asked reporters after his speech. "That's harmless activity, yet under section 1201 he's guilty of a crime."
Ready to do battle
Boucher said he does not know when he will introduce the bill in Congress, as he is still lining up support. The bill will face heated opposition, he acknowledged, as the recording and movie industries see section 1201 as a key measure in their battle against online piracy.
Read the full story on ZDNet.
Source: ZDNet
