[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 53 (Friday, March 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 14896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06200]


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

U.S. Copyright Office

[Docket No. 2015-7]


Section 512 Study: Announcement of Public Roundtables

AGENCY: U.S. Copyright Office, Library of Congress.

ACTION: Notice of public roundtables.

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SUMMARY: The United States Copyright Office has undertaken a study to 
evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the DMCA safe harbor 
provisions contained in 17 U.S.C. 512. On December 31, 2015, the Office 
issued a Notice of Inquiry (``NOI'') soliciting written comments in 
response to a number of topics relating to section 512. See 80 FR 
81862. The due date for initial written comments in response to the NOI 
is April 1, 2016. See 81 FR 11294. At this time, the Office is 
announcing it will hold two two-day public roundtables on DMCA safe 
harbor issues in New York, New York and Stanford, California in May 
2016.

Dates and Addresses

    The New York roundtable will take place on May 2 and 3, 2016, from 
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on both days, and will be held in the Lester 
Pollack Colloquium Room of Furman Hall at the New York University 
School of Law, 245 Sullivan Street, New York, New York 10012.
    The Stanford roundtable will take place on May 12 and 13, 2016, 
from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on both days, and will be held in the 
Manning Faculty Lounge of the Stanford Law School, 559 Nathan Abbott 
Way, Stanford, California 94305.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacqueline C. Charlesworth, General 
Counsel and Associate Register of Copyrights, [email protected]; or 
Karyn Temple Claggett, Director of the Office of Policy and 
International Affairs and Associate Register of Copyrights, 
[email protected]. Both can be reached by telephone at 202-707-8350.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 512 of Title 17 codifies provisions 
of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (``DMCA''), enacted in 1998, 
that created a system for copyright owners and internet service 
providers to address online infringement. This system includes ``safe 
harbor'' limitations on infringement liability for service providers 
who comply with statutory requirements to facilitate good-faith, 
expeditious removal of allegedly infringing content. In light of the 
exponential growth of content distribution over the internet since the 
DMCA was enacted, the Copyright Office has undertaken a comprehensive 
study of the DMCA's notice-and-takedown system. On December 31, 2015, 
the Office issued an NOI seeking public comment on thirty topics 
concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of section 512. See 80 FR 
81862.
    At this time, the Copyright Office is providing notice of its 
intention to seek further input for its study through two two-day 
public roundtables to be held in New York, New York and Stanford, 
California. The roundtables will offer an opportunity for interested 
parties to comment further on the pertinent issues, including topics 
such as the scope and legal requirements of the DMCA safe harbors; the 
notice-and-takedown and counter-notification processes, including 
relevant technological developments; voluntary measures to address 
online infringement; and the overall effectiveness of section 512. 
Additional information about the specific topics to be covered at the 
roundtables is available at http://copyright.gov/policy/section512/public-roundtable/particpate-request.html.
    The roundtable hearing rooms will have a limited number of seats 
for participants and observers. Those who seek to participate should 
complete and submit the form available through the Copyright Office's 
Web site at http://copyright.gov/policy/section512/public-roundtable/particpate-request.html so it is received no later than April 4, 2016. 
For individuals who wish to observe a roundtable, the Office will 
provide public seating on a first-come, first-served basis on the days 
of the roundtables.

    Dated: March 15, 2016.
Maria A. Pallante,
Register of Copyrights, U.S. Copyright Office.
[FR Doc. 2016-06200 Filed 3-17-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 1410-30-P