Court Bans Distribution of DVD Copy Technology

On February 19, 2004, a San Francisco federal court granted MGM”s motion for a preliminary injunction banning 321 Studios from distributing software which is capable of copying protected DVDs.

Judge Susan Illston recognized that consumers use 321 Studios’ software to make backup copies of DVDs and to copy works in the public domain. Notwithstanding, she ruled “… the … uses of the software … are not relevant to determining whether 321 itself is violating the statute.” See the DMCA, 17 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.