Copyright Office Issues DMCA Exemptions

In between the news about the coming election, Hurricane Sandy’s devastation of the eastern seaboard, and the announcement of Judith Wright’s retirement as Directory of the University of Chicago’s D’Angelo Law Library, the Copyright Office issued five new exemptions to the DMCA.  The determination is part of a review conducted every three years by the Library of Congress exempting activities that would otherwise constitute a prohibited activity under the Act. 

Some of the exemptions build on some issued previously.  These include using software to “jail break” cell phones under some conditions; breaking DRM for DVD content for film criticism and educational purposes; extending the same to streaming content and adding screen capture as an allowed activity; and the use of audio reading software on e-books for sight impaired individuals.  The announced final rule specifically rejected jail breaking tablets.

The Federal Register notice of the latest exemptions is here.  The narrative describes rejected proposals as well.  [MG]