[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 59 (Monday, March 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17206-17207]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06925]


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

 Copyright Office

[Docket Nos. 2015-6, 2015-8]


Software-Enabled Consumer Products Study and Section 1201 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 issued Notices of 
Inquiry (``NOIs'') announcing separate public studies on software-
enabled consumer products and section 1201 of title 17. In addition to 
soliciting written comments on these issues, the Office is now 
announcing public roundtables for these studies to provide forums for 
interested members of the public to address the issues set forth in the 
NOIs.
    DATES AND ADDRESSES: Public roundtables for the above-referenced 
Copyright Office studies will be held on the dates and at the locations 
provided below. The roundtables for the two studies are being held on 
consecutive dates in each location to accommodate parties who may have 
an interest in attending both.
    Software-Enabled Consumer Products Study: For its study on 
software-enabled consumer products, the Office will hold public 
roundtables in Washington, DC and San Francisco, CA. The roundtable in 
Washington will take place on May 18, 2016, at the Library of 
Congress's Madison Building, 101 Independence Avenue SE., Washington, 
DC 20540, from 9:00 a.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m. The roundtable in 
San Francisco will take place on May 24, 2016, at Hastings School of 
Law, 200 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102, from 9:00 a.m. to 
approximately 5:00 p.m.
    Section 1201 Study: Likewise, for its study on section 1201, the 
Office will hold public roundtables in Washington, DC and San 
Francisco, CA. The roundtable in Washington will take place on May 19 
and May 20, 2016, at the Library of Congress's Madison Building, 101 
Independence Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20540, from 9:00 a.m. to 
approximately 5:00 p.m. on the first day, and from 9:00 a.m. to 
approximately 1:00 p.m. on the second day. The roundtable in San 
Francisco will take place on May 25 and May 26, 2016, at Hastings 
School of Law, 200 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102, from 
9:00 a.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m. on the first day, and from 9:00 
a.m. to approximately 1:00 p.m. on the second day.
    Additional information, including instructions for submitting 
requests to participate in the roundtables, is available on the 
Copyright Office Web site at http://copyright.gov/policy/software/ 
(software-enabled consumer products) and http://copyright.gov/policy/1201/ (section 1201). Requests to participate in the roundtables must 
be received by the Copyright Office by April 18, 2016. If you are 
unable to access a computer or the internet, please contact the Office 
using the contact information below for special instructions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Software-Enabled Consumer Products 
Study: Sarang V. Damle, Deputy General Counsel, [email protected]; Catherine 
Rowland, Senior Advisor to the Register of Copyrights, 
[email protected]; or Erik Bertin, Deputy Director of Registration 
Policy and Practice, [email protected].
    Section 1201 Study: Regan A. Smith, Associate General Counsel, 
[email protected]; or Kevin Amer, Senior Counsel for Policy and 
International Affairs, [email protected].
    Each of these persons can be reached by telephone at (202) 707-
8350.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Copyright Office is conducting separate 
studies concerning software-enabled consumer products and section 1201 
of title 17.

Software-Enabled Consumer Products Study

    On December 15, 2015, the Copyright Office issued an NOI announcing 
a study on the role of copyright law with respect to the design, 
distribution, and use of consumer products that include embedded 
software. 80 FR 77668. This study is being done at the request of the 
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Consistent with the 
Committee's request, the focus of the study is on software contained in 
consumer products; it is not intended to address more general questions 
about software and copyright.

Section 1201 Study

    Enacted in 1998 as part of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act 
(``DMCA''), section 1201 prohibits the circumvention of technological 
measures employed by or on behalf of copyright owners to control access 
to their works (also known as ``access controls''), as well as the 
trafficking in technologies or services that facilitate such 
circumvention. In addition, section 1201 codifies a triennial 
rulemaking process through which the Librarian of Congress, upon the 
recommendation of the Register of Copyrights, can grant exemptions to 
the prohibition on the circumvention of access controls. The Copyright 
Office issued an NOI soliciting comments on the operation and 
effectiveness of section 1201 on December 29, 2015. 80 FR 81369.

Roundtable Subjects of Inquiry

    At this time, the Copyright Office is providing notice of its 
intention to seek further input for these studies through public 
roundtables to be held on the dates and at the addresses set forth 
above. The public roundtables will offer an opportunity for interested 
parties to comment on topics set forth in the NOIs.
    For the software-enabled consumer products study, the roundtables 
at each location will consist of sessions on the following topics: (1) 
The proper role of copyright in protecting software-enabled consumer 
products; (2) ownership and contractual issues; (3) fair use; and (4) 
the first sale doctrine, section 117, and other limitations and 
exceptions. After the final session, the Office will also provide 
participants and observers with an opportunity to offer additional 
comments for the record.
    For the section 1201 study, roundtables at each location will 
consist of sessions on the following topics: (1) The relationship of 
section 1201 to copyright infringement, consumer issues, and 
competition; (2) the rulemaking process--evidentiary and procedural 
issues; (3) the rulemaking process--renewal of previously granted 
exemptions; (4) the anti-trafficking prohibitions and third-party 
assistance for permitted circumvention of technological measures; and 
(5)

[[Page 17207]]

permanent exemptions to the prohibition on circumvention. After the 
final session, the Office will also provide participants and observers 
with an opportunity to offer additional comments for the record.
    Each of the roundtable hearing rooms will have a limited number of 
seats for participants and observers. Public seating for observers will 
be provided on a first-come, first-served basis on the days of the 
roundtables.

    Dated: March 23, 2016.
Maria A. Pallante,
Register of Copyrights, U.S. Copyright Office.
[FR Doc. 2016-06925 Filed 3-25-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 1410-30-P