[Sydney's Mom]

I'm not a copyright lawyer, but it doesn't appear that is what the case says. A code was required to run certain software. Like the code required to activate the radio in an old BMW after the battery failed. It was not in place to protect something given protection by the DMCA. But the DMCA specifically prohibits "decrypt an encrypted work, or otherwise to avoid, bypass, remove, deactivate, or impair a technological measure, without the authority of the copyright owner.” Id. § 1201(a)(3)(A). While the use of a PID to read a book you have purchased would be similar, removing protection altogether is not.

According to this case, I could keep a copy of my PID so that I could read my book on another reader that could read mobi books, but I could not alter the book so that I could read it in a different format. I continue to believe that it is unlikely that any case will be brought against someone who removes encryption on books they bought, so long as they do not pass those books on or otherwise violate the copyright. The problem is there are no damages suffered by the copyright holder. The person who provides the software, however, could be prosecuted under the DMCA for providing the decryption software.