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FYI. Did you get a chance to read this yet? -- Monique
> Here's the actual "final rule":
> http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.g
> po.gov/2006/E6-20029.htm
>=20
>=20
> Story URL: http://chronicle.com/daily/2006/11/2006112801t.htm?rss
>=20
> Professors and Librarians Win Narrow Exemptions to Rules in Digital
> Copyright Act
>=20
>=20
> By SCOTT CARLSON <mailto:scott.carlson@chronicle.com>=20
>=20
> =20
>=20
> The U.S. Copyright Office has issued a handful of exemptions to the
> Digital Millennium Copyright Act that may benefit media professors,
> archivists, and other academics. Under certain circumstances, they
> will now be allowed to circumvent access-control technologies on
> various electronic media.=20
>=20
> Under one of the six exemptions, all of which will expire after three
> years, professors of film and media studies can circumvent the
> access-control technology of DVD's in their libraries to use clips of
> films more easily in class.=20
>=20
> Peter Decherney, an assistant professor of cinema studies at the
> University of Pennsylvania, was a central figure pushing for the
> exemption, which was announced
> <http://www.copyright.gov/1201/docs/2006_statement.html> late on
> Wednesday of last week.=20
>=20
> "I'm shocked by it and very pleased," said Mr. Decherney, who noted
> that similar exemptions had been proposed and rejected in the past. "I
> think it opens the door to more exemptions and greater protection of
> fair use."=20
>=20
> Mr. Decherney had testified about the need for the rule change. "I
> could show them how we use clips" -- pulled out for use in slide
> shows, side by side, with text, and so on, he said. He also
> demonstrated that changing DVD's manually and fast forwarding to
> relevant portions of a film could eat up as much as 10 percent of
> class time.=20
>=20
> Observers considered this exemption the most applicable to academe.
> They noted that the exemption did not define a "film and media studies
> professor," and that it may not apply to professors in other
> disciplines who simply use film clips for teaching.=20
>=20
> "It wouldn't necessarily include others who are not media-studies
> professors, including students," said Alex Curtis, the government
> affairs manager for Public Knowledge, an advocacy group that focuses
> on copyright.=20
>=20
> Representatives of media organizations like the Motion Picture
> Association of America opposed the exemption. They did not return
> calls from The Chronicle on Monday.=20
>=20
> Five other exemptions were included in the final rule,
> <http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.
> gpo.gov/2006/E6-20029.htm> which was published in the Federal
> Register on Monday. Some -- like an exemption that allows blind people
> to circumvent access-control technology on e-books so that the books
> can be used with screen readers -- were renewals of exemptions already
> in place. Others, like an exemption that allows wireless telephones to
> connect to wireless communication networks, seemed to have little
> application in academe.=20
>=20
> Another exemption allows libraries and archives to circumvent
> access-control technology on obsolete computer programs and video
> games in order to archive and preserve them. This rule is a
> narrowed-down version of a previous exemption that allowed consumers
> to circumvent technology in such cases.=20
>=20
> The sixth exemption allows people to circumvent access-control
> technology to test, investigate, and correct security flaws in the
> copy-protection software included on audio compact discs. Sony BMG
> Music Entertainment had secretly included such copy-protection
> software on CD's last year, which caused a series of security
> problems. Edward W. Felten, professor of computer science and public
> affairs at Princeton University, was a leading proponent of the
> exemption.=20
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FYI. Did you = get a chance to read this yet? -- Monique
Here's the actual "final = rule": http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edoc= ket.access.gpo.gov/2006/E6-20029.htm
Story URL: http://chronicle.com/daily/2006/11/2006112801t.htm?rss
Professors and Librarians Win Narrow = Exemptions to Rules in Digital Copyright Act
The U.S. Copyright Office has issued a handful = of exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that may benefit = media professors, archivists, and other academics. Under certain = circumstances, they will now be allowed to circumvent access-control = technologies on various electronic media.
Under one of the six exemptions, all of which = will expire after three years, professors of film and media studies can = circumvent the access-control technology of DVD's in their libraries to = use clips of films more easily in class.
Peter Decherney, an assistant professor of = cinema studies at the University of Pennsylvania, was a central figure = pushing for the exemption, which was announced late on Wednesday of last week.
"I'm shocked by it and very pleased," = said Mr. Decherney, who noted that similar exemptions had been proposed = and rejected in the past. "I think it opens the door to more = exemptions and greater protection of fair use."
Mr. Decherney had testified about the need for = the rule change. "I could show them how we use clips" -- = pulled out for use in slide shows, side by side, with text, and so on, = he said. He also demonstrated that changing DVD's manually and fast = forwarding to relevant portions of a film could eat up as much as 10 = percent of class time.
Observers considered this exemption the most = applicable to academe. They noted that the exemption did not define a = "film and media studies professor," and that it may not apply = to professors in other disciplines who simply use film clips for = teaching.
"It wouldn't necessarily include others who = are not media-studies professors, including students," said Alex = Curtis, the government affairs manager for Public Knowledge, an advocacy = group that focuses on copyright.
Representatives of media organizations like the = Motion Picture Association of America opposed the exemption. They did = not return calls from The Chronicle on Monday.
Five other exemptions were included in the = final rule, which was = published in the Federal Register on Monday. Some -- like an exemption = that allows blind people to circumvent access-control technology on = e-books so that the books can be used with screen readers -- were = renewals of exemptions already in place. Others, like an exemption that = allows wireless telephones to connect to wireless communication = networks, seemed to have little application in academe.
Another exemption allows libraries and archives = to circumvent access-control technology on obsolete computer programs = and video games in order to archive and preserve them. This rule is a = narrowed-down version of a previous exemption that allowed consumers to = circumvent technology in such cases.
The sixth exemption allows people to circumvent = access-control technology to test, investigate, and correct security = flaws in the copy-protection software included on audio compact discs. = Sony BMG Music Entertainment had secretly included such copy-protection = software on CD's last year, which caused a series of security problems. = Edward W. Felten, professor of computer science and public affairs at = Princeton University, was a leading proponent of the exemption. =
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