H.R. 6816 – Family Movie Act Clarification Act of 2018

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Updated April 15, 2026 at 11:40 PM UTC

The Family Movie Act Clarification Act of 2018 updates the copyright exemption for private viewing of movies. It adds a new provision that lets individuals make limited parts of a film imperceptible while watching it from an authorized copy, without creating a fixed copy. The bill also protects services that enable this and limits copyright owners and transmission providers from blocking such uses, while updating the trademark law reference.

Key Provisions

Adds a new paragraph (12) to Section 110 of Title 17, exempting the act of making limited portions of a motion picture imperceptible for private viewing from an authorized copy, provided no fixed copy is made.
Prevents copyright owners from contractually blocking services that provide the imperceptible‑portion feature.
Prohibits authorized digital transmission providers from altering their service to stop individuals from receiving such transmissions.
States that circumvention of access controls for this purpose does not violate copyright if there is no demonstrated, avoidable economic injury to the rights holder.
Amends the Lanham Act to include the new paragraph (12) wherever paragraph (11) is referenced.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

September 13, 2018

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 13, 2018

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

September 13, 2018

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued September 13, 2018

I

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 6816

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 13, 2018

Mrs. Love (for herself, Mr. Biggs, Mr. Curtis, Mr. Bishop of Utah, and Mr. Stewart) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To amend title 17, United States Code, to exempt certain performances from copyright and trademark infringement, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Family Movie Act Clarification Act of 2018.

2.

Amendments to the exemption of certain performances

(a)

In general

Section 110 of title 17, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (10), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon;

(2)

in paragraph (11), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and;

(3)

by inserting after paragraph (11) the following new paragraph:

(12)

the making imperceptible by or at the direction of an individual, acting in a personal capacity, of limited portions of audio or video content of a motion picture, during a performance transmitted to that individual for private viewing, directly or indirectly from an authorized copy or digital transmission of the motion picture, or the provision of a service that enables such making imperceptible, if no fixed copy of the altered version of the motion picture is created.

;

(4)

by striking For purposes of paragraph (11) and inserting For purposes of paragraph (11) and (12); and

(5)

by adding at the end, the following:

For purposes of paragraph (12)—

(A)

no person asserting the rights of a motion picture copyright owner may prevent or impede by contract the provision of a service as described in such paragraph;

(B)

no person providing an authorized digital transmission of a motion picture to any individual may modify technical aspects of its transmission service for the purpose of preventing such individual from receiving a transmission as authorized by such paragraph; and

(C)

neither the circumvention of access controls for the purpose of providing a service described in such paragraph nor the use of technology that allows such service to be provided at a cost and quality comparable to that of the authorized stream under such paragraph violates any provision of this title if there is no demonstrated and avoidable economic injury to the copyright owner or the authorized digital transmission provider.

.

(b)

Conforming amendment

Section 32(3) of the Act entitled An Act to provide for the registration and protection of trademarks used in commerce, to carry out the provisions of certain international conventions, and for other purposes, approved July 5, 1946 (15 U.S.C. 1114(3)), commonly referred to as the Trademark Act of 1946 or the Lanham Act, is amended by inserting or (12) after paragraph (11) each place it appears.