What is the scope of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)?

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a federal law passed in 1998 to help protect copyright holders from the infringement of their works in digital media. This law makes it illegal to copy, reproduce, or distribute copyrighted material in a digital format, including the means of doing so online. The DMCA also states that any technology or service provider (such as an ISP or search engine) must remove access to infringing material, upon notification of copyright infringement, in order to comply with the law. The scope of the DMCA is far-reaching. It not only applies to digital media but also covers digital-based services, such as streaming video and audio services, online gaming, podcast services, and software-as-a-service providers. It also prevents circumvention of digital rights management (DRM) systems, which are technologies used to prevent the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of digital media. The DMCA has several provisions that help protect the rights of copyright holders, including provisions that hold ISPs and other service providers liable for the hosting of infringing content and provisions that protect ISPs from the loss of customers who switch to another ISP due to the presence of infringing content. It also provides legal protection for copyright holders who rely on anti-piracy technologies to protect their works. Finally, the DMCA also outlines the framework for how copyright holders should be compensated for the unauthorized use of their works.

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