Public Knowledge Urges Reform to DMCA Process for Granting Exemptions

Public Knowledge wants Congress to fix what it calls a "broken" process to grant exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. DMCA makes it illegal for people to bypass digital locks on copyrighted works such as software that runs many devices. "This means it can keep people from making repairs to the equipment in their car, accessing data from their blood glucose or heart monitors, using their cellphones with a new phone company, and more," said Public Knowledge on its website Wednesday. While the Copyright Office grants exemptions (see 1510280071) to DMCA, Public Knowledge said advocates for blind readers, medical device patients and 3D-printer users have to make their cases for exemptions every three years. "These are just a few of the burdensome and unnecessary locks that consumers should be able to circumvent," said the group, saying the three-year cycle is unnecessary.