DVD Copy Protection Software - Is This Going Too Far?
Almost all commercial DVDs released in the US include some sort of dvd copy protection software schemes. This is to protect the content of the disc from being copied. There are a number of different types of copy protection currently used on DVDs, such as RipGuard, TAGES, SafeDisc, and SecuROM.
Many people feel they should be able to make backup copies of media, such as DVDs, that they legally buy. This concept is known as the 'fair use' doctrine. However, that concept has been ruled illegal in the US, at least for the time being, in relation to DVDs. The law that made DVD copying illegal is called the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, or DMCA, and it was passed in 1998. Fair use advocates state that this law contradicts long-stablished American copyright laws and hope that fair use will be reinstated in the future.
A company called 321 Studios challenged the law by releasing a product in the USA which was able to defeat the DVDs copy protection scheme and make one copy for personal backup use. Unfortunately, a federal judge ruled that the products were illegal, and the company, apparently unable to afford to continue the battle, changed the software so that it can no longer copy commercial discs that have copy protection. There is hope that eventually the DMCA can be overturned, because the judge ruled that 321 Studios' software was illegal not because making copies of commercial DVDs breaks the law, but only because he felt circumventing copy protection schemes is illegal.
Probably the most publicity received by any copy protection software scheme in recent years was Sony's attempt to install something they called Extended Copy Protection on some CD music releases. The scheme included what's known as a rootkit, which is normally associated with malware (also known as spyware or adware). This rootkit attempted to conceal its existence and sometimes even disabled the listener's computer if they attempted to remove it. A number of antivirus and antispyware programs designated it as a pest, and Sony was eventually forced to recall all CDs that included it and end its use. You may be searching for dvd copy protection software in an attempt to find a program that will override the protection and allow you to make copies. Be careful. Yes, there are companies that still offer such programs. But if you are located in the US and have a problem with one of these vendors or their program, who will you complain to? You are attempting to perform what's now an illegal act. So tread carefully here. Also, since these programs are now illegal in the US, you'll probably not find any reviews of them by computer authorities such as CNET or PC World, meaning that the program could be infested with malware. If you do decide to investigate some of these programs, do careful research and full due diligence before proceeding.
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