321 Studios today announced it will donate as much as $1 million over the next year to online civil liberties organization the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). 321 Studios hopes to support EFF's work in advocating for digital copyright law responsive to consumer needs and to educate its customers about these issues.
The company will donate $25 toward EFF's efforts for each sale of a Lite-On DVD burner and DVD X Copy Platinum software bundle through the 321 Studios website or at the 321 Studios Touch Point Customer Service Center in the St. Louis Galleria Mall.
"We are very pleased that 321 Studios has chosen to recognize the important work of the Electronic Frontier Foundation with a generous financial contribution over the next year," said EFF Executive Director Shari Steele. "321 Studios knows firsthand the importance of advocating for copyright law that preserves the balance among content-creators, innovators, and the public."
"This is a natural partnership that allows our customers to join the fight for digital rights. The EFF is working to protect those rights including that of Americans to protect their home entertainment investment through DVD backup and repair," said Robert Moore, President and Founder of 321 Studios. "As the leader in the DVD backup, repair, and creation software industry, it makes sense for 321 and our customers to put some economic muscle behind that fight."
Last year, 321 Studios filed a declaratory relief action in federal court asking a judge to confirm that its software, which enables consumers to make backup copies of DVDs they own, does not violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The major movie studios counter-sued to prohibit 321 Studios from selling and distributing that software. EFF submitted a friend-of-the-court brief arguing that the DMCA cannot constitutionally prohibit tools, like 321 Studios', that enable the public to make fair use of their media. The court has not yet ruled on the case.