DVD Copying Rules - A Basic Guide

The evolution of technology has brought about many changes. It has taken us from the period of analog videos and gramophones to DVDs and CDs. The entertainment industry is booming and the demand for these entertainments is also on the increase. But it is sad that the industry is highly affected as piracy is on the rise with the development of different copying programs. Therefore, there are various DVD copying rules you should abide by. Be sure that you are exercising your fair user rights under the copyright law of your country and not violating any local copyright law.

DVD copying is illegal. There are no specific DVD copying rules for protecting theft, misuse and trade secret of intellectual property in the entertainment industry. The entertainment industry has slowed down to embrace technology because of concerns about piracy. DVD copying cannot be banned totally because the DVD copying programs like the DeCSS, manufactured by 321 STUDIOS of US, is widely available.

Initially, Hollywood started to initiate a protection effort called the Content Scrambling System to the effect that the DVD can only be read. This subsequently led to the release of the software DeCSS, which enables the computer to decrypt DVD, even without a licensed key.

After the Hollywood studios sued to keep DeCSS offline, it was ultimately agreed that posting the software online violated parts of the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act, with the DVD copying rule that bars distribution of tools that break through digital copy protection mechanisms.

The current DVD copying rule that was introduced by the California Supreme Court was that a web publisher could be barred from posting DVD-copying code online without breaking on his free speech rights.

Another DVD copying rule is that web publishers are banned from posting the software, DeCSS, which can be used to help decrypt and copy DVDs, thereby violating the First Amendment rights. An industry coalition, the DVD Copy Control Association, had sued a number of people engaged in posting the software online violating its trade secret rights.

Recently the Federal Communications Commission approved DVD copying rules and regulations that would require television manufacturers to include anticopying technology in the next generation of televisions. The technology would identify programs that broadcasters do not want consumers to copy without first paying a fee.

Lawmakers are considering a bill that would require all digital devices and software that runs them to include a copyright protection system. This is another DVD copying rule that can prevent your consumers from making unauthorized copies of music, movies, and television programs.

Professors of film studies are granted the permission to copy extracts from DVDs, under the fair-use provisions. This new DVD copying rule for such professors gives them the right to break the CSS copy protection that is installed in most DVD discs.

One of the major DVD copying rules is that before you make any copy of any copyrighted DVD you need to obtain a permission to copy from the copyrighted owner. Unless you own the copyright or hold permission to copy, you may be violating copyright law and may be subject to payment of damages and other remedies.