Five U.S. Copyright Office officials plan hearing today (Fri.) on...

its triennial review of Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), specifically its assignment under Act to see whether law’s ban on circumvention causes undue harm. Copyright Office received numerous requests for exceptions for breaking DVD coding, such as desire to make backup copies or to play region-coded DVD in another region-coded player. All such proposed exceptions were opposed by joint filing of numerous trade associations supporting intellectual property rights, including MPAA, whose Washington Gen. Counsel will testify. Also testifying is AOL Time Warner’s Shira Perlmutter, who offered separate reply comments opposing exceptions. Other witnesses include 321 Studios.com’s Robert Moore, Jay Sulzberger of New Yorkers for Fair Use, economist Michael Einhorn, Interactive Digital Software Assn.’s Stevan Mitchell and consumer Phil Gengler. Sulzberger’s group has organized rally outside hearing, and urged attendees by saying that if “the DMCA is not overturned, in a matter of years governments and a few large companies will force spy machinery and remote control machinery into every home computer in the world… The DMCA will also end free private, tribal, business and public use of the Internet.” On Thurs. Copyright Office held hearing on exceptions for literary works and eBooks for persons with disabilities, and after DVD hearing another will be held on potential exemption for literary works that are damaged, malfunctioning or obsolete. Copyright Office held its first set of hearings April 11, with more scheduled May 14-15 in L.A. Copyright Office will join with NTIA in making recommendations to Librarian later this year. Librarian has until Oct. 28 to complete rulemaking.