* About the DMCA "workaround"

[LigH]

Hi pals,

it is nice to read about the planned loosening in the DMCA law. This just reminds me more on the current law in Germany: Here it is allowed to create one personal backup for security purposes. I doubt that the use of tools to disable copy protection technologies is explicitly allowed... At least it will still be punishable to spread such copies. But computer magazines are supposed to sell well if the title story is about copying DVDs or protected Audio CDs - last week it was even described in TV!

Now I'm curious which kind of law you have in your country - please tell us!

[Doom9]

same as in Germany.. except that here we may not copy rental tapes. But there's no provisions barring you from excercising your fair use rights and defeat copy protection mechanisms. I think it's pretty much the same all over Europe until they start implementing the Euro-DMCA. Make sure to violently protest about the planned new law wherever you get the chance. Maybe we should rally for a pre-emptive strike

[LigH]

Originally posted by Doom9
...except that here we may not copy rental tapes.

Yeah - I forgot: Copies are only allowed from originals you bought and own. And if you are selling the original, you are not allowed to keep the copy.

Well, most probably the general law is the same for all european industrial countries. But there are for sure others which don't care as much about this law - e.g. I'd guess that russian law is not so detailed in this case?

[Waldorf]

Hello,

just reminds me more on the current law in Germany: Here it is allowed to create one personal backup for security purposes.
Copies are only allowed from originals you bought and own. And if you are selling the original, you are not allowed to keep the copy.
AFAIK, this is not entirely true. For Software, these rules apply, but with Movies and Music it's a bit different.

In Germany, you are allowed to make copies of Movies and Music for personal use for free. You can even rent a tape or dvd, make a copy and keep it (the copy, not the rented tape :-)). It is also allowed to make copies for your friends, as long as no money is involved. It is, however, illegal to sell those copies, or to make them available to the general public (which includes file-sharing).

Even those "you may not copy this"-messages displayed before the movie starts do not change this.


Waldorf

[Maz]

Hello

They already made a DMCA like law in Europe, in May 2001. It's called the EUCD, for European Union Copyright Directive.

You can found more info here :
http://www.eurorights.org/eudmca/index.html

I didn't real all, but Article 3 is really hilarious, finishing with "public interest". Well, maybe not that much hilarious ...

Maz