Exemptions to the DMCA Going Into Effect

Via Raph.

A number of key exemptions to the DMCA are going into effect, specifically:

a) The right to circumvent copy protection for archival purposes.

b) The right to circumvent copy protection for archiving programs that only work on obsolete systems, or for using programs that require hardware dongles that are no longer available.

c) The right to circumvent copy protection in order to provide sound recordings for the blind.

d) The right to circumvent copy protection to connect wireless headsets to a digital telephone network sorry, to switch your mobile phone from one service provider to another.

e) The right to circumvent copy protection to remove malicious software and rootkits.

The full details are here. This is great news.

If nothing else, this should automatically imply that the mere possession of software to help bypass copy protection is not an implication of criminal intent. There are now various legal uses for it.

Yehuda