Copyright Office 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Statutory Cable, Satellite, and DART License Reporting Practices
Document Number: 2017-27933
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2017-12-27
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The United States Copyright Office is extending the deadlines for the submission of written comments in response to its December 1, 2017 notice of proposed rulemaking concerning the royalty reporting practices of cable operators under section 111 and proposed revisions to the Statement of Account forms, and on proposed amendments to the Statement of Account filing requirements.
Secure Tests
Document Number: 2017-24532
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-11-13
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The U.S. Copyright Office is issuing an update to its interim rule, issued June 12, 2017, governing registration of secure tests. Based on the initial comments received on that interim rule, the Office has determined that there is an immediate need to establish a new group registration option for secure test questions and answers and other related materials (referred to as ``test items'') that are stored in an electronic database, test bank, or other medium of expression. This interim rule incorporates most of the same procedures that the Office adopted in its recent interim rule on secure tests and adds additional procedures for group registration. To seek a group registration, applicants will be required to submit an online application, upload a redacted copy of the individual test items to the electronic registration system, and complete and submit a brief questionnaire. If, based on the answers to the questionnaire, the test items appear to be eligible for the group registration option, the Office will contact the applicant and schedule an appointment to deliver these materials to the Office in person. On the appointed date, the applicant must bring a copy of the application and a complete unredacted copy of the actual test items. In addition, the applicant must bring a redacted copy of the test items, and a signed declaration confirming that this copy is identical to the redacted copy that was uploaded to the electronic registration system. The Office will examine each test item to determine if it contains sufficient copyrightable authorship. If the Office registers the claim, the registration will cover each test item as a separate work of authorship, and the registration will be effective as of the date the Office initially received the application, filing fee, and the redacted copy of the test items in proper form through the electronic registration system. To be clear, the previous interim rule otherwise remains in effect, and applicants may continue to use that rule to register individual secure tests. The Office welcomes public comment on both this interim rule and the June 12, 2017 interim rule.
Fees for Electronic Recordation and Notices of Intention To Obtain a Compulsory License
Document Number: 2017-24526
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-11-13
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The U.S. Copyright Office is publishing a final rule establishing a separate, lower filing fee for recording documents when they are submitted with an electronic title list. Separately, the Office is noting a policy change, effective on the same date as the final rule, to require the payment of fees for the filing of all notices of intention to obtain a compulsory license to make and distribute phonorecords, including those that are filed in the Office after failed delivery to the copyright owner.
Group Registration of Unpublished Works: Extension of Comment Period
Document Number: 2017-24511
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2017-11-13
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The U.S. Copyright Office is extending the deadlines for the submission of written comments in response to its October 12, 2017 notice of proposed rulemaking, regarding the creation of a new group registration option for unpublished works to replace the existing ``unpublished collections'' registration option. In this document, the Office also clarifies that the new group registration option is not intended for group registration of unpublished photographs; that is the subject of a separate proposed rulemaking, which would permit submission of up to 750 photographs on one application.
Exemptions To Permit Circumvention of Access Controls on Copyrighted Works
Document Number: 2017-23038
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2017-10-26
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The United States Copyright Office (``Copyright Office'' or ``Office'') is conducting the seventh triennial rulemaking proceeding under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (``DMCA''), concerning possible temporary exemptions to the DMCA's prohibition against circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works. In this proceeding, the Copyright Office has established a new, streamlined procedure for the renewal of exemptions that were granted during the sixth triennial rulemaking. It is also considering petitions for new exemptions to engage in activities not currently permitted by existing exemptions. On June 30, 2017, the Office published a Notice of Inquiry requesting petitions to renew existing exemptions and comments in response to those petitions, as well as petitions for new exemptions to engage in activities not currently permitted by existing exemptions. The Office has carefully considered the comments received in response to that Notice. With this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (``NPRM''), the Office intends to recommend each of the existing exemptions for readoption. This NPRM also initiates three rounds of public comment on the newly-proposed exemptions. Interested parties are invited to make full legal and evidentiary submissions in support of or in opposition to the proposed exemptions, in accordance with the requirements set forth below.
Exemptions To Permit Circumvention of Access Controls on Copyrighted Works
Document Number: 2017-13815
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2017-06-30
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The United States Copyright Office is initiating the seventh triennial rulemaking proceeding under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (``DMCA''), concerning possible temporary exemptions to the DMCA's prohibition against circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works. In this proceeding, the Copyright Office is establishing a new, streamlined procedure for the renewal of exemptions that were granted during the sixth triennial rulemaking. If renewed, those current exemptions would remain in force for an additional three-year period (October 2018October 2021). Members of the public seeking the renewal of current exemptions should submit petitions as described below; parties opposing such renewal will then have the opportunity to file comments in response. The Office is also accepting petitions for new exemptions to engage in activities not currently permitted by existing exemptions, which may include proposals that expand upon a current exemption. Those petitions, and any renewal petitions that are meaningfully opposed, will be considered pursuant to a more comprehensive rulemaking process similar to that used for the sixth rulemaking (i.e., three rounds of written comment, followed by public hearings).
Supplementary Registration
Document Number: 2017-12453
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-06-15
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The United States Copyright Office is modernizing its registration practices to increase the efficiency of the registration process for both the Office and copyright owners. To further these efforts, this final rule adopts modifications to the Office's procedures for supplementary registration. Specifically, the Office adopts a new rule that, in most cases, requires applicants to submit an online application in order to correct or amplify the information set forth in a basic registration. In addition, the Office is amending the regulation to codify and update certain practices that are set forth in the Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition and to improve the readability of the regulation.
Secure Tests
Document Number: 2017-12021
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-06-12
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The U.S. Copyright Office is issuing an interim rule that memorializes its special procedure for examining secure tests. The interim rule also includes a new workflow that will increase the efficiency of these examinations. Going forward, applicants must submit an online application, upload a redacted copy of the entire test to the electronic registration system, and complete and submit a brief questionnaire about the test. If the work appears to be eligible for the secure test process, the Office will contact the applicant and schedule an appointment to deliver the test to the Office in person. On the appointed date, the applicant must bring a copy of the application and a complete unredacted copy of the actual test. In addition, the applicant must bring a copy of the redacted version of the test, and a signed declaration confirming that this copy is identical to the redacted copy that was uploaded to the electronic registration system. If the Office confirms that the work qualifies as a secure test, it will examine the test as a whole to determine if it contains sufficient copyrightable authorship. If the Office registers the secure test, the registration will be effective as of the date that the Office received the application, filing fee, and the redacted copy of the entire test in proper form through the electronic registration system. The Office welcomes public comment on the interim rule.
Authentication of Electronic Signatures on Electronically Filed Statements of Account
Document Number: 2017-10219
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-05-19
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The United States Copyright Office is amending its regulation prescribing requirements related to the submission of Statements of Account under the section 111 license for secondary transmissions of broadcast programming by cable systems. The amendments will allow cable systems operating under the statutory license to electronically sign Statements of Account, and to submit them to the Office electronically.
Disruption of Copyright Office Electronic Systems
Document Number: 2017-10218
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-05-19
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The U.S. Copyright Office is amending its regulations governing delays in the receipt of material caused by the disruption of postal or other transportation or communication services. The amendments, for the first time, specifically address the effect of a disruption or suspension of any Copyright Office electronic system on the Office's receipt of applications, fees, deposits, or other materials, and the assignment of a constructive date of receipt to such materials. The amendments also make various revisions to the existing portions of the rule for usability and readability. In addition, the amendments specify how the Office will assign effective dates of receipt when, in the absence of a declaration of a general disruption, the Office does not receive, loses, or misplaces materials that were physically delivered or attempted to be physically delivered to the Office.
Modernizing Copyright Recordation
Document Number: 2017-09810
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2017-05-18
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The United States Copyright Office is proposing to amend its regulations governing recordation of transfers of copyright ownership, notices of termination, and other documents pertaining to a copyright. These amendments are being proposed in conjunction with the anticipated commencement of development effort for a modernized electronic recordation system.
Study on the Moral Rights of Attribution and Integrity: Extension of Comment Period
Document Number: 2017-04061
Type: Notice
Date: 2017-03-02
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The United States Copyright Office is extending the deadline for the submission of written comments in response to its January 23, 2017 Notice of Inquiry regarding the study on the moral rights of attribution and integrity.
Freedom of Information Act Regulations
Document Number: 2017-01770
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-02-07
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The U.S. Copyright Office is issuing an interim rule that amends its regulations governing its practices and procedures under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), to implement the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016. The regulations are issued on an interim basis without opportunity to comment to ensure that updated regulations are in place as soon as practicable to implement the Act. These amendments are intended to incorporate changes in the law, and provide clear guidance to members of the public in filing a FOIA request with the Office.
Copyright Office Technical Amendments
Document Number: 2016-29625
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-02-06
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The U.S. Copyright Office is amending its regulations governing registration, recordation, licensing, and other services that the Office provides. The amendments will improve the quality of the Office's regulations by updating cross-references to the Copyright Act and the Office's regulations, replacing outdated terminology, reflecting structural changes to the Office and its senior management, eliminating expired or obsolete provisions, and correcting nonsubstantive errors.
Notice of Intent To Audit
Document Number: 2017-02294
Type: Notice
Date: 2017-02-03
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The U.S. Copyright Office is announcing receipt of eight notices of intent to audit certain statements of account filed by cable operators and satellite carriers pursuant to the section 111 and 119 statutory licenses.
Removal of Personally Identifiable Information From Registration Records
Document Number: 2017-02238
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-02-02
Agency: Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions, Copyright Office
The U.S. Copyright Office is issuing a final rule to allow authors and claimants to replace or remove personally identifiable information (``PII'') from the Office's online registration catalog. This rule allows authors and claimants, or their authorized representatives, to request the replacement or removal of certain PII that is requested by the Office and collected on a registration application, such as a home addresses or personal phone numbers, from the Office's internet-accessible public catalog, while retaining that information in the Office's offline records as required by law. The rule also codifies an existing practice that removes extraneous PII, such as driver's license numbers, social security numbers, banking information, and credit card information, on the Office's own volition or upon request by authors, claimants, or their authorized representatives.
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