DVD Ripping - Legal or Illegal?

U.S. copyright prohibit the sale of software that bypasses DVD copy protection. Despite this, there are hundreds of software packages available online that have capability.In recent cases under the existing legislation was the requirement that the sellers were not aware of the capabilities of the software they offered for sale. In particular, the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act bans providing information or tools to denial copy-control features. This includes the Contents Scramble System currently employed by DVD. Individuals and companies are forbidden to sell DVD-ripping programs and copyright attorneys say that people who use the software in the U.S. to protect the violation of law breaking. While the U.S. film industry is fighting to protect the rights under copyright, the extended-range DVD ripping software now offered for sale online and the ease with which consumers can use it, make it a foregone conclusion that Hollywood is fighting a losing battle. Today, copying and conversion of DVD and audio files is totally simple and in fact many of the software now offered free online automation of the technique. Even non-geeks can do it! John Malcolm, antipiracy head of the Motion Picture Association of America disputes the freedom of use claims in the case of DVDs copied by someone who has bought the DVD for personal use as backup etc. The MPAA plans to film piracy films to stop before the road of the music industry where piracy is so widespread as to have completely invalidates the laws of copyright in the U.S. go. MPAA was successful in obtaining an injunction from the flagship product ban 321 Studio's DVD X Copy. After several unsuccessful court battles, the company went out of business despite the fact that the product is a very popular and successful program.Many of the companies distributing DVD ripping software sold at major outlets warn U.S. customers of the illegality of copying DVD's with copyright protection. Meanwhile, the consumers to other sites (many of them offshore) where the necessary software elements to complete ripping copyright protected DVD's. While the MPAA continues to direct action to stop piracy promise, the ability of the Association to effect this intent in such situations must be questioned.