Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Background Materials and Official Documents
This section includes links to the text of the DMCA, reports to Congress, and materials of historical interest.
General Commentary and Debate
This section includes general summaries and analyses of the DMCA, as well as debate.
Anti-Circumvention
This section focuses on the anti-circumvention provisions of the DMCA and issues with encryption.
Online Service Provider Liability
This section focuses on the online service provider liability provisions of the DMCA.
CIP Site Suggestions
A note about Web sites and print and subscription resources: For Web sites, please report any broken links to cip@umuc.edu. For print and subscription resources, please contact your librarian for retrieval.
Background Materials and Official Documents
Web Resources
Bill Summary and Status for the 105th Congress of Public Law 105-304
Billington, J. (2003). Rulemaking on exemptions from prohibition on circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.copyright.gov/1201/
Harper, G. (2002). Complying with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act: Responding to notices of alleged infringement. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/dmcaisp.htm
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998: U.S. Copyright Office Summary
Digital Future Coalition DMCA Index
Electronic Frontier Foundation DMCA Archive
Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies, 71 Fed. Reg. 68,472 (November 27, 2006). Retrieved June 4, 2007 from http://www.copyright.gov/fedreg/2006/71fr68472.html
Report on Copyright and Digital Distance Education: A Report of the Register of Copyrights, May 1999
General Commentary and Debate
Websites | Print and Subscription Resources
Web Resources
Band, J. (1999, February). The Digital
Cranman, K. A. (2000, February). Overview of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act for institutions of higher education. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.asu.edu/counsel/brief/dig.html. (article written in 1999 while author was legal counsel at the Georgia Institute of Technology; currently General Counsel to TANDBERG Television, Inc. email: kcranman@yahoo.com.)
Digital Media Project. (2005) Copyright and Digital Media in a Post-Napster World: 2005 Update. Retrieved April 1, 2006 from http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/media/files/wp2005.pdf
Diotalevi, R. N. (1999). Copyright dot com: The digital millennium in copyright. Journal of Asynchronous Learning, 3(2). Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/diotalevi32.html
Electronic Frontier Foundation. (2006). Unintended consequences: Seven years under the DMCA. Retrieved June 4, 2007 from http://www.eff.org/IP/DMCA/unintended_consequences.php
Gasaway, L. N. (1999, November 3). Distance learning and copyright: Is a solution in sight? CAUSE/EFFECT, 22(3). Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.westga.edu/~library/jlsde/vol1/2/LGasaway.html
Lide, C. (1999). What colleges and universities need to know about the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Retrieved June 4, 2007 from http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/html/cem/cem99/cem9913.html
Lutzker, A., Lutzker, S. J., & Settlemyer, C. H. (1999). The Digital Millennium Copyright Act: Highlights of new copyright provision establishing limitation of liability for online service providers. Retrieved June 4, 2007 from http://www.mlanet.org/government/dmca/ospanalysis.html
Lutzker, A. (1999, March). Primer on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act: What the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the Copyright Term Extension Act mean for the library community. Retrieved June 4, 2007 from http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/woissues/copyrightb/dmca/dmcaprimer.pdf
McGeveran, W. & Fisher, W. W., III. (2006). The digital learning challenge: Obstacles to educational uses of copyrighted material in the digital age: A foundational white paper. Digital Media Project. Retrieved June 1, 2007 from http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/media/files/copyrightandeducation.html
Mitrano, T. (2003). Copyright, civil rights, and middle age. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM0358.pdf
von Lohmann, F. & Seltzer, W. (2006, June). Death by DMCA. IEEE Spectrum Online. Retrieved June 4, 2007, from http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jun06/3673
Print and Subscription Resources
(2002). Global intellectual property rights: Boundaries of access and enforcement: Panel III: Implications of Enforcing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act: A Case Study, Focusing on United States v. Sklyarov. [Symposium]. Fordham Intellectual Property, Media & Entertainment Law Journal, 12, 805-857. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Anderson, B. (2006). A primer on copyright law and the DMCA. Reference Librarian, 93, 59-71.
Retrieved July 13, 2006, from Academic Search Premier/EBSCOhost database.
Anderson, T. E. (1999). Emerging intellectual property issues in cyberspace. Michigan Bar Journal, 78(11), 1260-1264.
Andrepont, C. (1999). Digital Millennium Copyright Act: Copyright protections for the digital age. Harvard Law Review, 112(7), 1705. Retrieved January 15, 2002 from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Band, J. (2001, August 16). The Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Association of Research Libraries.
Band, J. (1999). The Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Association of Research Libraries.
Baumgarten, J. A., Hart, W. M., & German, E. J. (1999). New law details ownership rights on the Internet; the year-old Digital Millennium Copyright Act leaves little room for judicial interpretation. National Law Journal, 22(9), C6. Retrieved January 16, 2002 from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Berman, E. D. (1998). Highlights of DMCA of 1998. Multimedia & Web Strategist, 15(1), 1.
Colyer, D. R. (1997). Copyright law, the Internet, and distance education. American Journal of Distance Education, 11(3), 41-57.
Dimrock, R. E. & Punniyamoorthy, S. (2006). Digital Technology: Its impact on copyright law and practice in North America. Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice, 1, 839. Retrieved June 26, 2007 from Academic Universe/ Lexis-Nexis database.
Dolan, W. F., & Leve, M. D. (2000, October 16). Striking a balance between linking and infringing. National Law Journal. Retrieved January 16, 2002 from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
French, N. A. J. (2003). The Digital Millennium Copyright Act: The potential for socio-political influences on a Supreme Court decision. Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Digital Dissertations database.
Gasaway, L. S. (1998). Copyright: A challenge to distance learning-Part I. Information Outlook, 2(10), 43.
Gasaway, L. N. (1998). Copyright: A challenge to distance learning-Part II. Information Outlook, 2(11), 15.
Gasaway, L. N. (1998). Copyright: a challenge to distance learning-Part III. Information Outlook, 2(12), 13.
Ginsburg, J. (1999). Copyright legislation for the "digital millennium." Columbia-VLA Journal of Law and the Arts, 23(2), 137. Retrieved January 15, 2002 from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP. (December 6, 2002). The Digital Millennium Copyright Act: A retrospective after three years. Mondaq. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Jackson, M. (2002). Copyright law as communications policy: Convergence of paradigms and cultures: One step forward, two steps back: An historical analysis of copyright liability. Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal, 20, 367-415. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Joseph, B. G., & Bain, S. E. (2000, July 31). DMCA safe harbor provisions. National Law Journal. Retrieved January 16, 2002 from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Lee, L. A. (2007). DMCA, CTEA, UCITA . . . Oh My! An overview of copyright law and its impact on library acquisitions and collection development of electronic resources. Acquisitions Librarian, 19(37-38), 83-97. Retrieved June 26, 2007 from Academic Search Premier database.
Leskovac, H. (1998). Distance learning in legal education: Implications of frame relay videoconferencing. Albany Law Journal of Science and Technology, 8, 305.
Perzanowski, A. (2007). Evolving standards & the future of DMCA anticircumvention rulemaking. Journal of Internet Law, 10, 12-22. Retrieved June 26, 2007 from ABI/Inform database.
Samuelson, P. (1999). Good news and bad news on the intellectual property front. Communications of the ACM, 42(3), 19. Retrieved January 16, 2002 from ABI/Inform database.
Anti-Circumvention
Websites | Print and Subscription Resources
Web resources
DMCA Comments of the Software & Information Industry Association
Gasaway, L. N. (2001). Anti-circumvention: A view from librarians and educators, 103 Proceedings of the ALAI Congress, June 13-17, 2001. Discussion. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.alai-usa.org/2001_conference/pres_gasaway.doc
Gross, R. D. (2003). Circumvention Prohibitions Reconsidered: Why America's Mistake is Europe's Future. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.ipjustice.org/eucd012903.shtml
Hansen, E. (2001, November 28). Ban on DVD-cracking code upheld. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://news.com.com/Ban+on+DVD-cracking+code+upheld/2100-1023_3-276353.html?tag=item
Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO.org)
Kelley, J. (2000, December 26). Two new exemptions added to the DMCA. Internet Law Journal. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.tilj.com/
Lutzker, A. (1999, March). Primer on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act: What the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the Copyright Term Extension Act mean for the library community. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.arl.org/info/frn/copy/primer.html
Samuelson, P. (2000). Toward more sensible anti-circumvention regulations. From the Proceedings of the Financial Cryptography 2000 Conference held in Anguilla, British West Indies. Heidelberg, Germany:
Springer-Verlag, http://link.springer.de/link/service/series/0558/bibs/1962/19620033.htm . Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/~pam/dmca_2/fin%20crypto.ppt
Samuelson, P. (1999). Intellectual property and the digital economy: Why the anti-circumvention regulations need to be revised. Berkeley Technology Law Journal, 14(2). Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/~pam/papers/dmcapaper.pdf
Print and Subscription Resources
Association of American Publishers Copyright Committee. (2000). Contractual Licensing, Technological Measures and Copyright Law. Washington, DC: Association of American Publishers.
Band, J., & Isshiki, T. (1999). The new U.S. anti-circumvention provision: Heading in the wrong direction. Computer Law and Security Report, 15(4), 219-225.
Bolinger, B. (2002). Focusing on Infringement: Why Limitations on Decryption Technology Are Not the Solution to Policing Copyright. Case Western Reserve University, 52, 1091-1111. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Brenner, S. W. (2003). Complicit Publication: When should the dissemination of ideas and data be criminalized? Albany Law Journal of Science & Technology, 13, 273-429. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Burk, D. L. & Gillespie, T. (2006). Autonomy and morality in DRM and anti-circumvention law. tripleC, 4(2), 239-245. Retrieved June 4, 2007 from http://triplec.uti.at/files/tripleC4(2)_Burk-Gillespie.pdf
Fernandez-Molina, J. C. (2003). Laws against the circumvention of copyright technological protection. Journal of Documentation, 59(1), 41-68. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Library Literature database.
Liu, J. P. (2003). The law and technology of digital rights management: The DMCA and the Regulation of Scientific Research. Berkeley Technology Law Journal, 18, 501-537. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Quinn, E. R., Jr. (2003). An Unconstitutional Patent in Disguise: Did Congress Overstep its Constitutional Authority in Adopting the Circumvention Prevention Provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act? Brandeis Law Journal, 41, 33-83. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Reese, R. A. (2003). The law and technology of digital rights management: Will Merging Access Controls and Rights Controls Undermine the Structure of Anticircumvention Law? Berkeley Technology Law Journal, 18, 619-665. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Samuelson, P. (2001). Anticircumvention rules: Threat to science. Science, 293, 2028.
Schleimer, J. D. (2001, November). Electronic countermeasures to copyright infringement on the Internet: Law and technology. Journal of Internet Law, 5(5), 1-7
Sheets, J. (2001). Copyright misused: The impact of the DMCA anti-circumvention measures on fair & innovative markets. Hastings Communications and Entertainment Law Journal 23(1), 1-27.
Singer, P. (2002). Mounting a Fair Use defense to the anti-circumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Dayton Law Review, 28, 111-142. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Tian, YiJun. (2005, Spring). Problems of anti-circumvention rules in the DMCA & more heterogeneous solutions. Fordham Intell. Prop. Media & Ent. L.J. 15, 749. Retrieved March 30, 2007, from LexisNexis Academic database.
Universal City Studios v. Reimerdes (2001). Universal City Studios v. Reimerdes. Lexis-Nexis, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. 12548.
Wernick, A. S. (2001). U.S. Internet service provider liability. ISP: You've got mail--and ignoring it could by-pass the safe harbor of the DMCA. Computer Law and Security Report, 17(4), 247-9.
Yu, P.K. (2006). Anticircumvention and anti-anticircumvention, Denver University Law Review, 84, 13. Retrieved March 28, 2007, from LexisNexis Academic.
Zimmerman, D. L. (2001). Adrift in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act: The sequel. University of Dayton Law Review, 26(2), 279-91.
Online Service Provider Liability
Websites | Print and Subscription Resources
Web Resources
Designation by Service Provider of Agent for Notification of Claims of Infringement
EDUCAUSE (1998). EDUCAUSE statement on copyright office interim regulations for 'service providers'. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.educause.edu/netatedu/reports/agentletter981110r.html
Electronic Frontier Foundation. (2003). Amici brief in favor of Verizon Communications in their case v. Recording Industry of America. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://pacer.cadc.uscourts.gov/docs/common/opinions/200312/03-7015a.pdf
Hoffman, I. (2001). The notice and take down provisions of the DMCA. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.ivanhoffman.com/dmca.html
Quilter, L. & Urban, J. M. Summary Report: Efficient Process or “Chilling Effects”? Takedown Notices Under Section 512 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Retrieved June 4, 2007 from http://mylaw.usc.edu/documents/512Rep/
Regent University Library (2001). Regent University as online service provider. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.regent.edu/general/library/services/copyright_issues/osp.cfm
University of California, (1999). Guidelines for compliance with the online service provider provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.ucop.edu/ucophome/coordrev/policy/12-01-99att.pdf
World Intellectual Property Organization, (1999). Workshop on online service provider liability. Retrieved June 7, 2004 from http://www.wipo.int/documents/en/meetings/1999/osp/pdf/osp_lia1.pdf
Print and Subscription Resources
Amedeo, M. (2003). Shifting the burden: The unconstitutionality of Section 512(h) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and its impact on Internet service providers. CommLaw Conspectus, 311-325. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Cahoy, D. R. (1998). New legislation regarding on-line service provider liability for copyright infringement: A solution in search of a problem? IDEA: The Journal of Law and Technology, 38(2), 335-360.
Clark, D. L. (2002). Digital Millennium Copyright Act: Can it take down Internet infringers? Computer Law Review & Technology Journal, 6, 193-201. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Crosby, J. (1999). Safe harbors: Online liability provisions should benefit information professionals. Information Outlook, 3(2), 28-32.
Davidson, S. J., Podkopacz, J. S., & Dechery, L. J. (1999, October 7-8). The law of cyberspace liability of information service providers. Paper presented at the Practicing Law Institute's Fifth Annual Institute for Intellectual Property Law, New York.
Hayes, D. L. (2002). Liability of online service providers: Part I of a three-part series. Computer & Internet Lawyer, 19(10), 1-39. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Joseph, B. G., & Bain, S. E. (2000, July 31). DMCA safe harbor provisions. National Law Journal. Retrieved January 16, 2002 from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Kopko, D. W. (2003). Looking for a crack to break the Internet's back: The Listen4ever case and backbone provider liability under the Copyright Act and the DMCA. Computer Law Review & Technology Journal, 8, 83-117. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Lewine, A. (2000). Copyright infringement: What Web sites must do to avail themselves of the DMCA's potenial protections. Intellectual Property Strategist, 6(13), 1. Retrieved January 16, 2002 from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Markiewicz, J. E. (1999). Seeking shelter from the MP3 storm: How far does the Digital Millennium Copyright Act online service provider liability limitation reach? CommLaw Conspectus, 7, 423.
Ravn, M. A. (1999). Navigating terra incognita: Why the Digital Millennium Copyright Act was needed to chart the course of online service provider liability for copyright infringement. Ohio State Law Journal, 60, 755. Retrieved January 16, 2002 from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Salow, H. P. (2001). Liability immunity for Internet Service Providers: How is it working? Journal of Technology Law and Policy, 6(1), 1.
Trosow, S. E. (2001). When is a use a fair use? University liability for educational copying. portal: Libraries and the Academy, 1(1), 47-57. Retrieved February 26, 2004, from ERIC database.
Tsilas, N. L. (2000). Minimizing potential liability associated with linking and framing on the World Wide Web. CommLaw Conspectus, 8, 85. Retrieved January 16, 2002 from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
Wernick, A. S. (2001). U.S. Internet service provider liability. ISP: You've got mail--and ignoring it could by-pass the safe harbor of the DMCA. Computer Law and Security Report, 17(4), 247-9.
Williamson, J. (2000). Online service provider copyright liability: Is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act the answer? Kentucky Law Journal, 88(4), 987-1017.
Yen, A. C. (2000). Internet Service Provider liability for subscriber copyright infringement, enterprise liability, and the First Amendment. Georgetown Law Journal, 88, 1833. Retrieved January 16, 2002 from Academic Universe/Lexis-Nexis database.
