DMCA protected: The meaning simply explained

On many websites you will find the note "DMCA protected". We'll tell you what that means and what consequences the labeling will have for you.

DMCA protected explains: What does that mean?

The abbreviation DMCA stands for the "Digital Millennium Copyright Act". It is a United States copyright law.

• The law entered into force in the United States in 1998. Due to the spread of the Internet, new regulations were necessary. Bypassing copy protection and distributing copyrighted material digitally is punishable by law.
• In the USA, website operators can register with the US Copyright Office. In the first place, the operators protect themselves from copyright violations on their own website.
• In order to comply with the DMCA law, the operators of the websites must delete content if the copyright owner reports a violation. In addition, users who upload such material to websites must be warned and blocked in the event of repeated violations. The law also requires the disclosure of data to investigative authorities.
• If content is DMCA protected, it only means that it is copyrighted material. As a rule, you can use it privately, provided you have acquired it legally, but not redistribute it.