What is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)?

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a United States law passed in 1998 that governs the rights of digital media creators and distributors. The DMCA establishes a set of rules for protecting copyrighted material on the internet, such as music, books, films, and photographs. In South Dakota, the DMCA applies to all individuals and businesses that own or operate websites, digital media stores, and other online services. Under the DMCA, creators of copyrighted material can protect the work by registering with the U.S. Copyright Office. This registration includes placing a copyright notice on the website or other digital work. This copyright notice informs people that the material is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced without the owner’s permission. Furthermore, the DMCA prohibits people from circumventing technological measures (such as encryption) that are used to protect copyrighted material. The DMCA also establishes the “Safe Harbor” provisions which are designed to protect online service providers from liability for copyright infringement. This means that service providers such as internet service providers, websites, and other digital media stores are not liable for copyright violations that occur on their services, unless they were made aware of the prohibited activity and failed to take action. By providing these protections, the DMCA hopes to foster creativity and innovation in digital media.

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What is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)?

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