Internet Archive Targets Book DRM Removal Tool With DMCA Takedown (torrentfreak.com) 20
The Internet Archive has taken the rather unusual step of sending a DMCA notice to protect the copyrights of book publishers and authors. The non-profit organization asked GitHub to remove a tool that can strip DRM from books in its library. The protective move is likely motivated by the ongoing legal troubles between the Archive and book publishers. TorrentFreak reports: The Internet Archive sent a takedown request to GitHub, requesting the developer platform to remove a tool that circumvents industry-standard technical protection mechanisms for digital libraries. This "DeGouRou" software effectively allows patrons to save DRM-free copies of the books they borrow. "This DMCA complaint is about a tool made available on github which purports to circumvent technical protections in violation of the copyright act section 1201," the notice reads. "I am reporting a Git which provides a tool specifically used to circumvent industry standard library TPMs which are used by Internet Archive, and other libraries, to permit patrons to borrow an encrypted book, read the encrypted book, and return an encrypted book."
Interestingly, an IA representative states that they are "not authorized by the copyright owners" to submit this takedown notice. Instead, IA is acting on its duty to prevent the unauthorized downloading of copyright-protected books. It's quite unusual to see a party sending takedown notices without permission from the actual rightsholders. However, given the copyright liabilities IA faces, it makes sense that the organization is doing what it can to prevent more legal trouble. Permission or not, GitHub honored the takedown request. It removed all the DeGourou repositories that were flagged and took the code offline. [...] After GitHub removed the code, it soon popped up elsewhere.
Interestingly, an IA representative states that they are "not authorized by the copyright owners" to submit this takedown notice. Instead, IA is acting on its duty to prevent the unauthorized downloading of copyright-protected books. It's quite unusual to see a party sending takedown notices without permission from the actual rightsholders. However, given the copyright liabilities IA faces, it makes sense that the organization is doing what it can to prevent more legal trouble. Permission or not, GitHub honored the takedown request. It removed all the DeGourou repositories that were flagged and took the code offline. [...] After GitHub removed the code, it soon popped up elsewhere.
Re:Where can I find it?? (Score:5, Informative)
Internet Archive to the rescue [archive.org], obviously.
Re:Where can I find it?? (Score:5, Funny)
So this whole thing was a ploy to drive traffic to their site!
Is this the tool in question? (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:1)
It's this: https://github.com/bipinkrish/... [github.com]
Re: Is this the tool in question? (Score:1)
FYI ... (Score:5, Informative)
Eupubor provides a page which page [epubor.com] which links to the current version of a DRM-removal plugin for Calibre, and provides instructions on how to install and and use it ...
they are just protecting the Internet Archive (Score:3)
IA is acting on its duty to prevent the unauthorized downloading of copyright-protected books.
I think what is going on here is they are making a 'reasonable effort' to remove a tool that facilitates breaking DRM on books hosted on Internet Archive. Using this tool would directly break their Controlled Digital Lending system (which normally limits loans of IA ebooks to one person per copy), so they are being good actors in the copyright space.
However the DeDRM tool, on which this DeGourou is based, remains online as it is not written specifically to be used with the Internet Archive.
Hypocrites. (Score:2)
~nt~
They probably understand the Streisand Effect (Score:4, Interesting)
better than the DRM holders.
I haven't heard about this tool before, and I have now.
Not always used nefariously (Score:4, Insightful)
Stripping DRM is useful for people who want to read a book at some point but not necessarily when it's available to rent from a library. I've had experiences where I'm in a queue for a book loan and when it eventually comes available, I'm not necessarily in a position to read it at that moment. So I could see the benefit of stripping the DRM so it can be read later. Or to read a series of books in the correct order which might not be the order they become available to check out. I could also see it being useful if someone just wants to use their own book reader, one which might run on an unsupported OS or platform, or if the reader has accessibility tools not available in "sanctioned" readers.
Anyway I guess it's fortunate that Adobe Digital Editions kind of sucks as a DRM but is a victim of its own success and baked into so many e-readers and apps, and used by so many libraries and online stores. Replacing it with something stronger would piss off everyone so maybe it's good that the status quo be kept the way it is.
Re: (Score:2)
Stripping DRM is useful for people who want to read a book at some point but not necessarily when it's available to rent from a library.
Perhaps a silly question, but would it at all depend on the DRM implemented, how restrictive or not it is, etc?
For example, are DRMs that restrict copying/pasting, a thing? IF SO I could see wanting to work around that, especially if quoting text (regardless of the type of book), etc.
Again, perhaps a silly question, but it's been nagging at me.
Re: (Score:1)
> For example, are DRMs that restrict copying/pasting, a thing?
It is used in the browser all the time. Not really DRM, more like telling the browser to turn off those features but the same effect.
Re: (Score:2)
In my experience Adobe's DRM is fairly basis - if you buy a book you can see it. If you borrow a book you can see it until it expires. It's not super restrictive but neither is it super sophisticated. It's just something that gets in the way and impedes what someone might do outside of the scenarios it's designed for.
Re: (Score:2)
Basis -> basic
Who is the copyright holder to the book? (Score:4, Informative)
For a valid DMCA notice: It is required to Identify with Specificity the work alleged to be infringed And
make a statement under penalty of Perjury that you are Or Authorized by the Copyright Owner of the work alleged to be infringed. Otherwise it's Not a Valid takedown notice according to the requirements set down by the statute in the DMCA 512(c)
(A)To be effective under this subsection, a notification of claimed infringement must be a written communication provided to the designated agent of a service provider that includes substantially the following:
(i)A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
(ii)Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple copyrighted works at a single online site are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at that site. ...."
Streisand effect? (Score:2)
I had no idea this tool existed before. Now I have a local copy (for research purposes).
Duck Sauce commentary (Score:2)
Woo-ooh, ooh-hoo, ooh-hoo, ooh-hoo
https://soundcloud.com/thathyp... [soundcloud.com]
Not like this matters... (Score:1)
It doesn't take much to make these tools useless. Amazon has made DRM decryption tools of its eBooks, even the Calibre tools completely unusable, and Apprentice Alf has given up trying.
Just a bit of work can make eBooks as hackproof as consoles.
Encrypted books are evil (Score:1)
What is actually needed is a change at the OS level allowing DRM to prevent a file being copied, the file can be moved, which needs to be an atomic operation so that pulling a USB flash drive out at the right second can subvert the limitation.
That way they work like physical books, and the actual issue, that of the computer allowing infinite copies to be made without the need of time and effort to run a printing press, is resolved.
Owners of the book can pass it to a sibling by moving it to their device, den