What is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)?

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a United States copyright law that provides protection to copyright owners from digital piracy. It was signed into law in October 1998 to help protect intellectual property in the internet age. The DMCA was specifically created to combat digital piracy and digital copyright infringement. The main purpose of the DMCA is to limit the liability of internet service providers (ISPs) for copyright infringement by their users. It does this by creating a system of safe harbors—legal protections—for ISPs that meet certain criteria. These safe harbors limit the time an ISP can be held liable for copyright infringement. The DMCA also created new rules for copyrighted works in the digital age. For instance, one of these rules known as the “anti-circumvention” rule prevents individuals from bypassing digital rights management (DRM) technology used to protect digital works. The anti-circumvention rule prohibits the unauthorized replication, distribution, or use of DRM-protected works. In Virginia, the DMCA applies to anyone who publishes or transmits copyrighted works, whether through print, digital, or other means. The DMCA provides copyright owners with new legal remedies against copyright infringement, including the ability to obtain monetary damages, temporary and permanent injunctions, and criminal penalties.

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What is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)?

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