The Digital Millenium Copyright Act is probably one of the most annoying laws Congress has ever passed, betraying a complete ignorance of copyright and the Internet. Fortunately, one intelligent provision was actually passed: the Library of Congress can grant exemptions to breach DRM.
Of course, they can’t approve any tools to actually do so, so it’s kinda pointless, but it was nice to see fair use in action.
Anyway, it’s still kinda stupid: the exemptions the Library of Congress grants only last three years. Which means every three years, film professors and normal people have to go before the Library’s committee and tell them that no, a crappy VHS is not suitable for educational purposes.
If you want to participate in this copyright joke, the hearings are going on today. Go in, listen to the MPAA insist that you can just tape the movie off a TV screen for “fair use.” It’s the best standup comedy in DC!