Source: https://www.ntia.doc.gov/print/other-publication/2003/ntia-letter-register-copyrights-regarding-dmca
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 16:45:39+00:00

Document:
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration ("NTIA"), an agency of the United States Department of Commerce, "serves as the President's principal adviser on telecommunication policies pertaining to the Nation's economic and technological advancement."(1) As a matter of policy established by Congress, among other objectives, NTIA seeks to promote "the benefits of technological development in the United States for all users of telecommunications and information facilities."(2) Striking the appropriate balance among the complex and oftentimes competing interests of affected stakeholders is an indispensable component of formulating responsive policies that best serve the interests and needs of all Americans.
(a) Violations Regarding Circumvention of Technological Measures. -- (1)(A) No person shall circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title. The prohibition contained in the preceding sentence shall take effect at the end of the 2-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this chapter.
While respecting the non-infringing uses that have long been an integral part of copyright law, NTIA remains a stalwart supporter of protecting copyright interests from threat of theft or piracy. By encouraging the formulation of policies that reflect a sound balancing of the legitimate concerns of both users and creators of content, NTIA seeks to ensure that technological innovation and consumer freedom are promoted, and illegal copying and distribution, ceased. To this end and in accordance with its statutory responsibility, NTIA offers the following advice to the Register that will inform her consideration of the record, and will help to ensure that both the underlying rulemaking proceeding and her recommendation to the Librarian of Congress comply with the intent of Congress as reflected in the statute and its legislative history.
The NOI further requires proponents of an exemption to provide "evidence either that actual harm exists or that it is 'likely' to occur in the ensuing 3-year period."(10) The NOI refines this directive, indicating that "[a]ctual instances of verifiable problems occurring in the marketplace are necessary to satisfy the burden with respect to actual harm and a compelling case will be based on first-hand knowledge of such problems."(11) Again, the NOI's requirement to provide "actual," "first-hand" instances of problems is not articulated in the plain language of Section 1201(a)(1) of the Act.(12) Moreover, as drafted, this requirement cannot logically be applied prospectively, as the refinement would mandate "first-hand knowledge" of future problems in order to sustain a "compelling case" for an exemption. Given these concerns, NTIA believes that the NOI's "refinement" should be abandoned and a standard more consistent with the statutory language should be adopted.
Accordingly, NTIA urges the Register to reconsider the NOI's burden of proof to ensure consistency with the text of Section 1201(a)(1), and, therefore, the expressed intent of Congress. This section and its legislative history provide that a decision to exempt a class of works from the prohibition on circumvention must be based on a determination that the prohibition has or will likely have an adverse effect on noninfringing use of that particular class of works. To this end, the Librarian's inquiry should focus on "distinct, verifiable, and measurable impacts, and should not be based upon de minimis impacts."(16) Whether an impact is considered to be de minimis should be based on both quantitative and qualitative examinations. Such analysis should consider not only the number of users adversely affected, but also the type and degree of harm that they experience and the potential that such harm could adversely affect the public as a whole. With respect to examination of "likely adverse impacts," these cases would compel no more of a showing than that required for present impacts.
NTIA agrees with the Register that the "starting point for identifying a particular 'class of works' to be exempted must be one of the section 102 categories."(18) This interpretation is consistent with the legislative history that provides that the term "class of works" was intended to be a "narrow and focused subset of the broad categories of works of authorship . . . identified in Section 102."(19) NTIA believes that it would be beneficial to further define the scope or boundaries of the "class of works" so that targeted exemptions can be crafted that would not only provide specific guidance to both content creator and user, but also remedy the particular harm to noninfringing uses identified in the rulemaking. For example, in some circumstances, the intended use of the work or the attributes of the user are critical to a determination whether to allow circumvention of a technological access control. Section 1201(a)(1) is, however, silent regarding the manner in which and by what criteria "class of works" may be further defined. Given the ongoing debate surrounding this term that forms the very core of this triennial rulemaking proceeding, it would be beneficial for Congress to provide guidance on this issue.
Accordingly, NTIA recommends that the Register carefully consider the comments offered above in reviewing the record and considering any proposed exemption. Strict adherence to the statutory standards of Section 1201(a)(1) of the DMCA is essential to ensure that your recommendation to the Librarian of Congress appropriately balances important public interest concerns in the manner prescribed by Congress.
1. National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act, 47 U.S.C. § 902(b)(2)(D), (I) (2003).
2. 47 U.S.C. § 901(c)(1).
3. Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Pub. L. No. 105-304, 1998 U.S.C.C.A.N. 112 stat. 2860, codified at 17 U.S.C. §§ 1201-1205 (2003).
4. 17 U.S.C. § 1201(a)(1).
5. See 17 U.S.C. § 1201(a)(1)(C). In conducting this rulemaking, the Librarian must examine the availability for use of copyrighted works; the availability for use of works for nonprofit archival, preservation, and education purposes; the impact that the Section 1201(a)(1)(A) circumvention prohibition has on criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research; the effect of circumvention of technological measures on the market for or value of copyrighted works; and such other factors that the Librarian deems appropriate. Id. at § 1201(a)(1)(C)(i)-(v).
6. Notice of Inquiry, Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention on Copyright Systems for Access Control Technologies, Copyright Office, Library of Congress, 67 Fed. Reg. 63578 (Oct. 15, 2002).
7. "In the last rulemaking, the Register concluded from the language of the statute and the legislative history that a determination to exempt a class of works from the prohibition on circumvention must be based on a showing that the prohibition has a substantial adverse effect on non-infringing uses of a particular lass of works.... For an exemption to be warranted [in the instant proceeding] in a particular class of works, a proponent must show that such problems are or are likely to become of such significance that they would constitute a substantial adverse effect." NOI, 67 Fed. Reg. at 63579 (Oct. 15, 2002).
8. Similarly, while Section 1201(a)(1) specifically provides that an exemption to the anticircumvention prohibition may be based on a finding of "likely" adverse effects, this criterion neither expressly nor implicitly mandates a "showing of substantial likelihood" of future harm as is required by the NOI in this proceeding.
9. Consumer Product Safety Commission v. GTE Sylvania, Inc., 447 U.S. 102, 108 (1980) ("We begin with the familiar canon of statutory construction that the starting point for interpreting a statute is the language of the statute itself. Absent a clearly expressed legislative intention to the contrary, that language must ordinarily be regarded as conclusive.") The legislative history of the provision is consistent with this reading of the statute. See, H.R. Rep. No. 105-551, pt. 2, (1998), 1998 U.S.C.C.A.N. (112 stat. 2860) 2918.
10. NOI, 67 Fed. Reg. at 63579 (Oct. 15, 2002).
13. NOI, 67 Fed. Reg. at 63579 (Oct. 15, 2002) (quoting the House Manager's Report at 6).
Although the Commerce Committee Report does not state how future adverse impacts are to be evaluated (apart from a single reference stating that in categories where adverse impacts have occurred or "are likely to occur," an exemption should be made, Commerce Comm. Report at 38), the Committee's discussion of "distinct, verifiable and measurable impacts" suggest that it would require a similar showing with respect to future adverse impact.
Final Rule, Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies, Copyright Office, Library of Congress, 65 Fed. Reg. 64556, 64559 (Oct. 27, 2000).
15. See supra note 9.
16. H.R. Rep. No. 105-551, pt. 2, at 37 (1998), 1998 U.S.C.C.A.N. (112 stat. 2860) 2918.
18. NOI, 67 Fed. Reg. at 63580 (Oct. 15, 2002).
19. H.R. Rep. No. 105-551, pt. 2, at 38 (1998), 1998 U.S.C.C.A.N. (112 stat. 2860) 2918.

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