Executive Summary of FTC Complaint

Every time an American consumer opens a book, plays a DVD, or watches a wide range of broadcast programs he or she is confronted by strong language warning of what they are not allowed to do with that product. By design or effect, many of these warnings are misleading and harmful to millions of American consumers, customers, and businesses. These ubiquitous statements often include gross misrepresentations of federal law and characterize as unlawful acts that are explicitly permitted by law. Many such warnings forbid unauthorized copying and sharing of any part of their works, even when such copying or sharing is fair use and is permitted by law and in fact by the Constitution itself.

These warnings intimidate average people and hinder free expression. They depict as illegal many legitimate and beneficial uses made possible by the high-tech industry, and cast a pall over the high-tech marketplace represented by the Computer & Communications Industry Association. Moreover, these misleading warnings represent an assault on the open communications and free expression vital to our society.

On August 1, CCIA filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission stating that such practices constitutes unfair and deceptive trade practices as defined by the Federal Trade Commission Act. You can read the complaint or download a PDF here.

Specifically named in the complaint are the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball, NBC-Universal, Morgan Creek Productions, Dreamworks, Harcourt Inc., and Penguin (USA) Inc.:
CCIA demands an immediate end to these deceptive practices.
In the complaint, CCIA asks the FTC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the copyright holders systemic misrepresentations of consumer rights and order appropriate relief.

Read the Full Complaint