Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA, 1998)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (17 U.S.C. §§ 512, 1201–1332)

2) Why It Was Done
Passed to update U.S. copyright law for the digital age, the DMCA implemented international copyright treaties and created new rules for online service providers, digital media, and technological protections.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The Copyright Act of 1976 did not address the internet or digital distribution. The DMCA added legal protections for digital rights management (DRM) and clarified liability for online platforms hosting copyrighted material.