Court’s Ruling in Audio Home Recording Act Case a Win for Consumers and Innovation
CDT joined with EFF, the R Street Institute, the Consumer Technology Association, Engine, and the Information Technology Industry Council in filing an amicus brief led by the Computer & Communications Industry Association highlighting the adverse impact of AARC’s reading of the statute on the computer and consumer electronics industries. Our brief explained that if the court agreed with AARC’s interpretation of AHRA, every computer that could store music would potentially have to comply with the AHRA’s serial copy management requirements or be subject to significant statutory damages. Moreover, manufacturers could potentially have to pay the AHRA’s levy for each of their computers. This would impose a heavy burden on both consumers and manufacturers, and would stifle competition.
