What is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)?
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a federal law that protects the intellectual property rights of creators of original works and their publishers, distributors, and users in the information age. It was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1998 and is enforced in Pennsylvania. The DMCA prohibits the unauthorized reproduction, distribution, performance, or display of copyrighted works. This includes books, software, music, video, and other media. It also makes it illegal to manufacture, import, or distribute devices or services designed to circumvent a copyright protection system. For example, it makes it illegal to buy or sell software that can be used to crack or unlock a copyright-protected work. The DMCA also provides safe harbors for Internet service providers and other online entities that unknowingly transmit, store, or provide access to infringing material. This means that online providers cannot be held liable for direct copyright infringement as long as they take steps to address the infringement if they receive a notice of copyright violation. These protections extend to digital technologies such as the internet, satellite, cable and digital television, digital radio, and other digital rights management systems that are used to protect intellectual property. By providing these protections, the DMCA promotes the development of a legally secure digital economy in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States.
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