Second Circuit Clarifies "Repeat Infringer" Policy Requirement For DMCA Copyright Safe Harbors

Congress enacted the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") nearly two decades ago seeking to balance the needs of two factions: Content creators, who were struggling to protect their intellectual property in the digital age, and fledgling Internet companies, who feared being held liable for the misdeeds of their customers.

For the Internet companies, Congress offered relief by creating a number of "safe harbors" shielding such companies from copyright-related damages arising from their customers' infringing activities.

In particular, the DMCA established four distinct safe harbors for online service providers, each safe harbor aimed at a different type of online activity (i.e., transitory digital network communications; system caching; online hosting; and provision of information location tools) and each with its own set of eligibility requirements.