HRRC Endorses the Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act

The Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act (DMCRA), H.R. 1201, was reintroduced earlier this year in March.

Last week, the Home Recording Rights Coalition (HRRC) annnounced its support:

[The HRRC] announced its endorsement of The Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act of 2005 (H.R. 1201). This legislation would codify into U.S. law the vital standard announced in the Supreme Court's landmark 1984 Betamax decision. It would also assure "fair use" protection under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) for consumers, libraries, universities, archivists, and other lawful users of copyrighted works. . . .

HRRC Chairman Gary Shapiro underscored the need for H.R. 1201's Betamax codification provision:

"For innovation and for consumer freedom, the doctrine originally announced in the Betamax case is the magna carta and the Declaration of Independence rolled into one. Without the protection of this doctrine - that it is not a copyright violation to manufacture or distribute a product capable of substantial noninfringing uses - large corporate content providers would exercise a veto over every new function of every new product."

More: HRRC and H.R. 1201.