Quote:
Originally Posted by sircastor
I didn't see anyone else answering this question, so I thought I would. The answer is yes, you're breaking the law, but probably not the one you're thinking of...
By stripping the DRM, you're violating the DMCA (Section 1201 deals with the circumvention of copyright protection schemes)
It should also be said that a public domain book is not inherently public domain. The words, in the associated order that make up "War of the Worlds" for instance, are in the public domain, but the method of assembly of the book, the file type, structure, format, etc, are not necessarily in the public domain. This is why life in the digital age has made copyright so tough to deal with.
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Whether you are violating the DMCA (or not) remains to be seen (er... ruled on in court)! As I've posted many (MANY) times before, legal opinion is thoroughly split on this question. A few things are perfectly clear:
- Providing DRM removal software to someone else is a violation of the DMCA.
- Providing DRM-stripped content to others is very likely a violation of the DMCA (and probably also other copyright laws)
- Telling others where to get DRM-removal software may be a violation of the DMCA.
But using DRM removal software to remove DRM from
legitimately acquired content for personal use only (more strictly -- staying within existing fair-use guidelines) may or may not violate the DMCA. Plenty of legal authorities say it's clearly OK. Plenty of others say it's clearly a violation. Yet others say it's not clear.
We won't really know until a court rules. And that would require a plaintiff stupid enough to take such a case to court! Can you see the judge's expression: The defendant bought this eBook, and then stripped the DRM so they could use it on a different device (or share with spouse, or...). They didn't upload, they didn't violate copy-right more broadly. You'd have a heck of a time convincing a DA that the case was worth pursuing...
Xenophon