[Web4lib] Kindle vs. Accessibility

[Kelly Quinn]

Enjoying this discussion! :)

I took a look at the Digital Millennium Copyright Act where it talks
about exemptions from the Prohibition on Circumvention of
Technological Measures that Control Access to Copyrighted Works,
specifically in regard to ebooks.
(http://www.copyright.gov/1201/2006/index.html). Ebooks are exempt in
the following cases:

"4. Literary works distributed in ebook format when all existing ebook
editions of the work (including digital text editions made available
by authorized entities) contain access controls that prevent the
enabling either of the book’s read-aloud function or of screen readers
that render the text into a specialized format."

OK...if I'm reading this right, and there is no guarantee I am, ha. It
seems to say that as long as there is some version of the ebook
available that can be accessed with a screen reader, you cannot
circumvent the technology that locks the ebook down. But if there
isn't, and to use the example at hand, if the ebook is ONLY available
in the Kindle format, the locks CAN be circumvented. So in that case,
the Kindle's screen reader would not be a copyright infringement.

I see your point about translations, but I'm going to stick to my
Braille & screen reader example because I think the law seems to favor
protecting the right of equal access for individuals with disabilities
over copyright. I don't consider speaking a different language a
disability.