Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Grudge Match: MPAA vs. RealNetworks

The Motion Picture Association of America filed a lawsuit Tuesday asking a federal court in Los Angeles to stop RealNetworks from distributing the company’s RealDVD software, which studios argue allow movies to be copied illegally. In the complaint and motion for a temporary restraining order, the studios said RealDVD violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act because it bypasses the copyright protection built into DVDs that protect movies against theft.

"RealNetworks knows its product violates the law and undermines the hard-won trust that has been growing between America’s movie makers and the technology community. The major motion picture studios have been making major investments in technologies that allow people to access entertainment in a variety of new and legal ways," the MPAA said. "We will vigorously defend our right to stop companies from bringing products to market that mislead consumers and clearly violate the law.”

In response to the studio's threat, RealNetworks said it planned to file an action for a declaratory judgment against DVD Copy Control Association, Disney Enterprises, Paramount Pictures Corp., Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., NBC Universal, Warner Bros. Entertainment, and Viacom. The suit asks the court to rule that RealNetworks' software fully complies with the DVD Copy Control Association's license agreement.

"We are disappointed that the movie industry is following in the footsteps of the music industry and trying to shut down advances in technology rather than embracing changes that provide consumers with more value and flexibility for their purchases," the company said. "We expect to successfully defend our right to make RealDVD available to consumers and consumers' rights to use it."