Legal Definitions - DMCA

Definition: DMCA stands for Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

The DMCA is a United States law that was passed in 1998 to protect the rights of copyright owners in the digital age. It criminalizes the production and dissemination of technology, devices, or services that are used to circumvent measures that control access to copyrighted works.

For example, if someone creates a software program that can bypass the digital rights management (DRM) protections on a movie or music file, they could be in violation of the DMCA.

The DMCA also provides a "safe harbor" provision for internet service providers (ISPs) who host user-generated content. This means that if a user uploads copyrighted material to a website, the ISP is not held liable as long as they promptly remove the infringing content when notified by the copyright owner.

Overall, the DMCA is an important law that helps protect the rights of copyright owners in the digital age.