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Tech companies file complaint over copyright warnings

Written by Rich Fiscus @ 01 Aug 2007 4:53 User comments (10)

Tech companies file complaint over copyright warnings A tech industry trade group, including companies like Google and Microsoft asked federal regulators to force changes in copyright warnings.
The Computer and Communications Industry Assiation said in a statement Wednesday that copyright statements used by sports leagues and content distributors (like movie studios) go too far, and warn against uses that are actually legal. The organization filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commision arguing that companies using such language should be required to mount a marketing campaign to inform consumers of their actual rights.

Although many content owners are quick to complain about unauthorized copying, what they usually fail to mention is that unlawful doesn't automatically mean illegal.

CCIA spokesman Will Rodger said in the Wednesday statement that "the bottom line is that the copyright holder is not the final arbiter of how his work can be used. Copyrights are granted by the federal government and it's 'we the people' who decide where to draw that line between what's legal and what is not."



The FTC isn't expected to act on the complaint simply due to the complexity of copyright law. In most cases, the only way to measure the legality of a given use of copyrighted material is a judge's decision.

Of course, it's possible that action from the FTC isn't really the aim of the CCIA. Simply involving themselves in the fair use debate is a step toward debunking the claims from the entertainment industry, which often seem to be directed away from protecting their rights, and more towards inventing rights to protect their profits.

A cynic might counter that by suggesting these companies are primarily interested in the public relations spin from suggestions that won't possibly be implemented.

Source: The Associated Press

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10 user comments

11.8.2007 17:39

Its very true. It anoys me when i buy a DVD and i get this huge threatening blue sceen (which you can never skip) Waring you that if you copy this DVD we'll get you. It just makes me want to copy it to flip the bird at them. I like a nice .avi with in my opinion great quality with no ad's, no anoying menu that show you the whole film and no big ass warning!

21.8.2007 18:06

ZOMG!! You mean to tell me that we as customers have fair use rights?

Get outta here!

31.8.2007 18:08

Lol I copy my movies purely to make it so I can skip those warning things, which normally you cant skip and take ages to get to the actual movie.

41.8.2007 18:39

Originally posted by Andrew691:
Lol I copy my movies purely to make it so I can skip those warning things, which normally you cant skip and take ages to get to the actual movie.
Ya that and the damn previews,really its gettign very annoying to watch DVDs anymore.

52.8.2007 04:51

I dont think that I use ANY of the original DVDs that I purchased for the same reason: I edited them to go right to the main menu and bypass all of the VERY annoying previews and FBI warnings. I would much rather spend 1.5hours of my time to rip, edit, and burn a DVD to bypass the annoyingness rather than spend 1.5hrs or more watching the same previews and unskippable copyright warnings.

62.8.2007 08:18
emugamer
Inactive

Quote:
Of course, it's possible that action from the FTC isn't really the aim of the CCIA. Simply involving themselves in the fair use debate is a step toward debunking the claims from the entertainment industry, which often seem to be directed away from protecting their rights, and more towards inventing rights to protect their profits.
Beautifully written.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 07 Aug 2007 @ 8:05

72.8.2007 18:23

The fact is that the copyright legislation does need to be looked at and altered in some areas. I would say if i purchase a legit copy of a DVD or CD i should have the right to do what i wish with it as long as i do not try to sell a copy of the movie or CD I have made.

82.8.2007 22:11

those stupid screens just scare the people that wouldn't do it anyways & Make most of us want to cut them out just to prove them wrong! U used to be able to skip all that on tapes!

93.8.2007 14:46

I, too, edit all that trash out of my backups, and then watch only the backups.

107.8.2007 01:27

They should at least make it last like thirty seconds instead of


en minutes!!!!

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