MPAA to teachers – fair use needs a VCR!
According to the MPAA the fair use provision in our copyright laws is flawed and needs to be qualified. During the continuing DCMA hearings they have again surfaced the claim that ripping a DVD shouldn't be allowed, since the teacher can copy the video using a video camera pointed at the TV screen. Seriously! That's as ludicrous as requiring that teachers may only copy from a photocopy, and not from the original book! They even created a video to demonstrate the process. Anyone concerned about fair use and copyright should be aghast at this blatantly stupid, but well financed, attack on rights. This 'process' is not only more cumbersome and time consuming (but teachers have loads of free time, right?) but also significantly more costly (you need a camcorder, tapes, and a tripod - in addition to the equipment you already have). MPAA shows how to videorecord a TV set from timothy vollmer on Vimeo. via [Ars Technica] video after the fold