Quote:
Originally Posted by Elfwreck
Certainly it's easier to prosecute distribution of DRM removal tools, which run into a specific, single law, than to prosecute ebook sharing, which runs into individual author/publisher copyrights, such that each would have to file suit separately.
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Is the distribution of tools covered by the DMCA civil or criminal? I would have thought that it would be prosecuted by the individual copyright holders as well. Even if it is criminal, I'm not sure it's something that the feds are really looking for, or if they would just react to individual author/publisher complaints.
Anyway, I think "legal" and "ethical" are often different things. My guess is that calvin-c meant that distribution of de-DRM tools for personal use is ethical, while distribution of de-DRM'd books to the public isn't. IE, the primary difference is personal use vs non-personal use, not necessarily tool vs content.