The federal Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a directive on digital information, came into effect in the United States in 1998. The purpose of this act was to achieve a balance between the interests of those who own copyrights and individuals whose interests are affected by the use and access of digital technology for information dissemination purposes. This complex and overarching act has greatly influenced the production, dissemination, and consumption of digital information by individuals.
One of the most important provisions of the DMCA involves its anti-circumvention clause. The anti-circumvention principle of DMCA strictly prohibits any attempts of circumventing a Digital Right Management system designed for safeguarding copyrights. For example, it is considered an illegal practice if an individual attempts to circumvent copyright by reproducing or distributing a movie with help of technology, if a movie studio has implemented Digital Rights Management.
In addition, the DMCA provides safe harbor protection to providers of online services, including internet sites, internet service providers, etc. Such service providers are not treated as liable for copyright infringement if they take actions promptly against a reported case of infringement and also comply with a set of policies that set restrictions. For example, if there is