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Digital library Scribd has filed a complaint against a tool that allows users to permanently download books magazines and other digital content from its publishing platform.
On Tuesday, February 19, Scribd requested web-based hosting service GitHub to take down the tool, named Scribd-Downloader, under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
Although Scribd-Downloader does require the user to have a Scribd subscription to operate, Scribd says the tool infringes the anti-circumvention provisions of the DMCA.
Scribd-Downloader, which was created by a student in India, allows users to permanently download content and save it.
Scribd said this violates the DMCA as it means users no longer need to access content through the Scribd app.
In its complaint, Scribd said it has digital rights management technology in place to prevent users from downloading or saving copies of copyrighted material.
But, Scribd-Downloader aimed to “circumvent its technological measure that controls access” to copyright-protected work, without the authority of the copyright owner.
Following the complaint, GitHub has removed Scribd-Downloader from its platform.
This is not the first time Scribd has acted against a platform which allows users to download content.
In 2017, it filed a copyright and trademark infringement suit against the operators of the website ‘Scribd-Download.com’, which it said gave away free Scribd content and asked users to donate via PayPal.
Scribd, web-hosting, digital library, Digital Millennium Copyright Act, copyright
