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Industry Group Would Permit (Some) DVD Copying

Posted by timothy on from the we-control-the-horizontal-we-control-the-vertical dept.

Zocalo writes "The BBC is carrying the story that agreements have been made to permit legal DVD copying for use on portable devices and The Register appears to have the same story too. While extremely light on details, the mention of Microsoft and AACS leads me to believe this has something to do with Microsoft's Janus system which has been discussed here before. Perhaps more interesting though is that Disney and Time Warner are apparently on board... Can it be that the MPAA has learnt a lesson from the RIAA's heavy handed tactics or has Microsoft convinced them that Janus will work, despite their recent record of bug free coding, and we're going to have a repeat of the DeCSS fiasco?"

5 of 283 comments (clear)

  1. Similar article on CNN -- Different Angle by Alzheimers · · Score: 5, Informative

    An article on cnn.com is reporting something similar in the works for the "Next-generation" video discs. The amazing part about their article is how it specificly mentions Disney as part of the alliance. Granted, it looks all encumbered with DRM (here called the Advanced Access Content System)-- but this is a far-cry better than their attempts to push disposable and subscription-based media (DIVX).

    So, does this mean we're winning? Or just that we're not losing.

  2. Personal use by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 4, Informative

    When I buy a legitimate copy of a CD, DVD, or other recording, I obtain a limited copyright. I can make as many copies as I want, provided I don't distribute them to anyone else. That would be unfair competition with the copyright holder - redistribution is not included in the limited copyright I have bought.

    Some copyright holders (RIAA) have tried to reduce my rights, preventing me from making copies for my personal use. They never anticipated the bonanza from CD reissues of vinyl records, and they want to reissue incompatible formats every few years to get me to buy more copies. Digital copies for personal use threatens that gravy train, and rights be damned. But they can't stop us from exercising our rights, so they'd better get with the program.

    --

    --
    make install -not war

    1. Re:Personal use by tlunde · · Score: 4, Informative
      IAAL.

      At least in the US, your statement of the law is wrong. Purchase of a piece of physical media does not specifically provide you any rights to make copies of copyrighted works held on that media.

      UTSL. You might actually want to read the relevant bit of law before making (potentially) incriminating remarks. For instance, here are the exclusive rights of the copyright holder (not the media buyer) and the statutory fair use rights of all persons (including the media buyer) under Federal law.

  3. This is so lame. by Rimbo · · Score: 4, Informative

    Look, fair use rights are not something corporations grant to us. They are what the government grants to us, the same government that also governs corporations.

    It is not industry's place to "grant" us this. It is our right to do so regardless of their wishes.

  4. Re:Lulling us into complacency by MobyDisk · · Score: 4, Informative

    That's a common RIAA/MPAA lie that appears to be sticking. Fair Use is stated legally in 2 places that I know of.

    1) Section 107 and of the US Copyright Act. This act defines US copyright law and discusses derivative works, transformed works, etc. This law determines what is and is not a copyright violation, and mentions backups, copies for educational use, etc.

    2) It is clarified in several supreme court cases. These rulings were later made into laws after they were upheld several times.

    Some links:
    Fair Use at the US Copyright Office's web site
    Fair use explained by BitLaw
    Stanford Copyright & Fair Use