From Reuters
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The California Supreme Court on Monday ruled that an injunction preventing a Web site operator from posting software on his Web site allowing users to circumvent DVD copy protection did not violate his free-speech rights.
In a unanimous ruling, the court held that an injunction issued in behalf of the DVD Copy Control Association did not violate the free-speech rights of Andrew Bunner, who posted the code for a program called DeCSS that broke the CSS copy-protection system on DVDs.
First developed by a Norwegian named Jon Johansen, DeCSS was intended to let users of the Linux operating system watch DVD movies on their computers, though Hollywood trade groups like the Motion Picture Association of America argued it could be used for illegal disc copying.
Johansen was acquitted by an Oslo court in January on charges related to the program.
Related
- Court: DVD-cracking code is free speech
- Court: DeCSS ban violated free speech
- DVD Jon to seek compensation
- Prosecution changes charges against Johansen
- DVD hacker Johansen indicted in Norway
