DVD Jon in the clear

By Matt Whipp

Posted on 23 Dec 2003 at 10:48

DVD Jon has been cleared for a second time for writing and publishing a program that 'cracks' DVD protection, allowing him to watch his DVD movies on his computer.

'Criminally prosecuting a DVD owner for "breaking into" a DVD he owns was always ridiculous,' said Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Legal Director Cindy Cohn. 'The Norwegian appellate court has upheld Johansen's rights and many movie fans would love to see similar rulings elsewhere.'

The case was brought on behalf of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Although the story may have had a different ending had the case been tried in the US under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the panel of seven judges and data experts unanimously agreed that Johansen had not broken any law in copying his own DVDs.

'After four years, Johansen has now been acquitted twice after two full trials,' said Johansen's attorney Halvor Manshaus of the lawfirm Schjødt AS. 'This ruling will be an important precedent in the application of existing intellectual property regulations on digital media.'

However, the Norwegian prosecutors, at the behest of the MPAA, may still decide to appeal this
second appeals court decision to the Norwegian Supreme Court.