The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a U.S. copyright law enacted in 1998 to address digital rights management and online copyright infringement. It has several key provisions, including:
Key Components of the DMCA
- Anti-Circumvention Measures
- Prohibits bypassing digital protection technologies (e.g., DRM on software, movies, or games).
- Safe Harbor Provisions
- Protects online service providers (OSPs) like Google, YouTube, and Facebook from liability for user-uploaded copyrighted content, as long as they comply with takedown requests.
- DMCA Takedown Notices
- Copyright holders can send takedown requests to platforms hosting infringing content.
- Platforms must act swiftly to remove or disable access to the content to maintain their safe harbor protection.
- Counter-Notification Process
- If a user believes their content was wrongly taken down, they can file a counter-notice requesting reinstatement.
- The original copyright holder has 10-14 days to take legal action, or the content may be restored.
- Penalties for False DMCA Claims
- Submitting fraudulent DMCA notices can lead to legal consequences, including perjury charges.
Common DMCA Uses
- Removing pirated movies, music, and books from websites.
- Preventing unauthorized reuploads of YouTube videos.
- Protecting online courses, software, and digital artwork.
Would you like information on how to file or respond to a DMCA notice?