Hollywood Studios File Suit Against RealNetworks

LOS ANGELES, October 1: The Motion Picture Association of
America (MPAA), on behalf of the major Hollywood studios, has filed suit to
prevent RealNetworks from distributing its RealDVD software, which the MPAA
maintains allows the illegal duplication of movies.

The MPAA is seeking a federal injunction, stating that
RealDVD violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) “because its
software illegally bypasses the copyright protection built into DVDs that
protect movies against theft,” the MPAA says.

Greg Goeckner, the executive VP and general counsel for
MPAA, quipped: “RealNetworks’ RealDVD should be called StealDVD.” He continued:
“RealNetworks knows its product violates the law and undermines the hard-won
trust that has been growing between America’s movie makers and the technology
community.”

The Hollywood studios contend that RealDVD circumvents the
Content Scramble System (CSS) built into DVDs, which prevents unauthorized
reproduction and distribution. The software, the MPAA says, allows users to
engage in a practice known as “rent, rip and return,” where legitimate DVDs are
rented and then copied. “On its own website, RealNetworks acknowledges that
this behavior is illegal and that its software could be used in that manner,”
says the MPAA, which is seeking undisclosed damages in the suit.

RealNetworks countered with
legal action of its own. It said that it intends to file an action for a
“declaratory judgment” against the studios, asking the court to rule that
RealDVD complies with the DVD Copy Control Association's license agreement.

"RealDVD allows consumers
to securely store, manage and play their DVDs on their computers,” a
RealNetworks statement says. “It does not enable users to distribute copies of
their DVDs. RealDVD not only maintains the DVD's native CSS encryption intact,
it also adds another layer of digital rights management encryption that effectively
locks the DVD copy to the owner's computer to ensure that the content can not
be improperly copied or shared. RealDVD provides consumers with a great
solution for the playback and management of their DVD collections while adding
security that is more robust than CSS.”

The statement continues: “We
are disappointed that the movie industry is following in the footsteps of the
music industry and trying to shut down advances in technology rather than
embracing changes that provide consumers with more value and flexibility for
their purchases.”

—By Mansha Daswani