mpaa Ripping DVDs Shouldn't Be Allowed Because It Takes Away Our Ability To

[ThePitt]

MPAA: Ripping DVDs Shouldn't Be Allowed Because It Takes Away Our Ability To Charge You Multiple Times For The Same Content

It's that time again when the Librarian of Congress is considering special exemptions to the DMCA's anti-cicrumvention provisions. One of the key proposals, which we discussed earlier, was Public Knowledge's request to allow people to rip DVDs for personal use -- just as we are all currently able to rip CDs for personal use (such as for moving music to a portable device). The MPAA (along with the RIAA and others) have responded to the exemption requests (pdf) with all sorts of crazy claims, but let's focus in on the DVD ripping question, because it's there that the insanity of Hollywood logic becomes clear.

Effectively, the MPAA is arguing that there is no evidence that ripping a DVD itself is legal, and since anti-circumvention exemptions are only supposed to be for legal purposes, this exemption should not apply. Leaving aside the sheer ridiculousness of the fact that we need to apply for exemptions to make legal acts legal (I know, I know...), this is quite a statement by the MPAA. While it's true that there hasn't been an official ruling on the legality of ripping a DVD, the fact that CD ripping is considered legal seems to suggest that movie ripping is comparable.

But the bigger point is that the MPAA is arguing that because they offer limited, expensive and annoying ways for you to watch movies elsewhere, you shouldn't have the right to place shift on your own:

Copyright owners include with many DVD and Blu- Ray disc purchases digital copies of motion pictures that may be reproduced to mobile devices and computers pursuant to licenses. Blu-Ray disc purchasers can also take advantage of "Managed Copy" services that are scheduled to launch in the U.S. later this year. Movie distributors and technology companies are also making available services such as UltraViolet, which enables consumers to access motion pictures on a variety of devices through streaming and downloading. Many movies and television shows are also available online through services such as Comcast Xfinity, Hulu and Netflix, or websites operated by broadcasters or cable channels, which consumers can enjoy from any U.S. location with internet access. With all of these marketplace solutions to the alleged problem PK points to, it is unlikely that the presence of CSS on DVDs is going to have a substantial adverse impact on the ability of consumers to space shift in the coming three years.

http://www.techdirt....e-content.shtml

I think by this moment should the MPAA and RIAA considered as terrorists

[Wolfbane]

I think by this moment should the MPAA and RIAA considered as terrorists

(Y)

I wonder if this could actually cause increased piracy (since ripping movies would be no more legal than downloading them, and downloading them could be more convenient)

[c3i89g]

Is it really piracy if you own a physical copy of the movie you're downloading?

Actually, that's not a bad idea. Maybe I should just throw out all my DVDs and download the movies I own. Then I could watch them without unskippable "previews," FBI warnings telling me to buy the thing I just bought, and a "bazillion" animated movie studio logos.

[remixedcat]

motion picture *******s of america

[Motoko.]

Whatever happened to that boycott March month where no one goes to the movies or buys music for that entire month?

[ArialBlue]

Scumbags