U.S. Copyright Office Launches Tenth Triennial Section 1201 Rulemaking: Proposes Renewing Existing Exemptions and Adding Ten New Classes
Washington — The U.S. Copyright Office published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on October 28, launching the tenth triennial proceeding under Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Section 1201 prohibits circumventing technological measures that control access to copyrighted works; every three years, the Librarian of Congress, on the recommendation of the Register of Copyrights, decides whether to grant temporary exemptions for particular classes of works and uses.
Under the proposed rule released by the Copyright Office, the Register proposes to recommend renewing all existing exemptions except one that drew substantial opposition, and separately proposes ten new classes of exemptions for public comment.
The proceeding has three comment rounds: comments in support of, or neutral toward, the proposals are due by December 7, 2026; opposition comments are due by February 22, 2027; and reply comments are due by March 22, 2027. After the comment periods close, the Copyright Office will hold hearings and develop final recommendations for the Librarian of Congress.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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