PRESS RELEASE Contact: Ruth Nyblod 703-305-8341 ruth.nyblod@uspto.gov February 4, 2003 #03-06 USPTO Holds Hearing on Technological Protection Systems for Digitized Copyrighted Works The Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today held a hearing in Arlington, VA, to solicit views of a diverse group of technology companies and copyright-based industries for a report to Congress that the agency is preparing on technological protection systems for digitized copyrighted works. The “Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization Act of 2002,” which was signed into law November 2002, updates the Copyright Act to facilitate the development of distance education. The TEACH Act requires the USPTO, after consultation with the Copyright Office and the public, to submit to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees a report on technological protection systems that have been implemented, are available for implementation, or are proposed to protect digitized copyrighted works and prevent infringement. The TEACH Act report is intended solely for information purposes. The six participants listed below shared their views on current and future digital rights management of copyrighted works and the needs of both the copyright holders and users. William Krepick, President and CEO, Macrovision Corporation Steven Potash, CEO, OverDrive, Inc. Michael Miron, CEO, ContentGuard Troy Dow, Vice President and Council, Technology & New Media, Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. Bruce Funkhouser, Vice President of International and Business Operations, Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. Mark Bohannon, General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, Software & Information Industry Association The transcript of today’s hearing will be available in a few weeks on the USPTO Web site at www.uspto.gov. The public comments received in response to the Federal Register notice are available at: http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/dcom/olia/teachcomments/index.html. # # #