Abstract

     Section 1201(a) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act governs legal protection for “access control” technologies that safeguard intellectual property in digital and analog form. The provision creates a new tort that is separate from copyright infringement. Illegal conduct may be subject to civil remedies or criminal penalties, depending on a defendant’s intent. This survey article applies § 1201(a) to published facts about a toy hack in order to analyze the statute’s structure and language. The article is written for non-specialists. It provides basic vocabulary and concepts, making the statute widely accessible and offering an early view of potential issues.