Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA)

Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA)
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is legislation enacted by the United States Congress in October 1998 that made major changes to the US Copyright Act. These changes were necessary in part to bring US Copyright law into compliance with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performances Phonograms Treaty. The DMCA also strengthened the legal protection of intellectual property rights in the wake of emerging new information communication technologies.

Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) and File Sharing at Ozarka College
Downloading and sharing copyrighted material online without permission is unethical and illegal. Ozarka College is dedicated to addressing and resolving issues of copyright infringement, as well as implementing preventative measures and policies to ensure proper use of peer-to-peer (P2P) applications on the campus network.

In addition to sending complaints to Ozarka, copyright owners may also take direct legal action against alleged infringers, and subpoena the college for information about people sharing files. The No Electronic Theft (NET) Act provides for serious criminal penalties, including a fine of up to $250,000 and a potential jail sentence. Lack of knowledge about copyright infringement laws will not excuse one from legal consequences, or from action by the college. It is your responsibility to be aware of the legality of your actions.

Here is the bottom line: If you distribute copyrighted music without authorization from the copyright owner, you are breaking the law. Distribution can mean anything from "sharing" music files on the Internet to burning multiple copies of copyrighted music onto blank CD-Rs.


If all I do is download music files, am I still breaking the law?
Yes, if the person or network you are downloading from does not have the copyright holder’s permission. Peer-to-peer systems like KaZaa, Grokster, Gnutella, LimeWire, Morpheus, WinMX, Aimster, and Bearshare have music that is not legal for you to download.

What if I upload or download music to or from a server that is based outside of the U.S.?
If you are in the United States, U.S. law applies to you regardless of where the server may be located.

What if I download or upload poor-quality recordings?
The law prohibits unauthorized copying and/or distribution of digital recordings that are recognizable copies of copyrighted work. The quality of the recordings does not matter.

It is illegal to copy a CD for use by someone other than the original purchaser. This means it is illegal to loan a friend a CD for them to copy, and it is illegal for you to make mixed CDs and distribute them to your friends as well.

How do I know if something is copyrighted?

Where can I legally download music?
Vist the Center for Copyright Information

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