Re:Doh! -- I'm seriously confused (Score 2, Informative)

Ah, I've finally found it. The Copyright Office did not issue a new rule to cover the SCC case. Instead, it issued an opinion (in response to SCC's petition) that a new exemption rule was not necessary because section 1201(f) of the DMCA already allowed such an exemption. After having read it myself, I understand. The text of section 1201(f)(2) is: "Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a)(2) and (b), a person may develop and employ technological means to circumvent a technological measure, or to circumvent protection afforded by a technological measure, in order to enable the identification and analysis under paragraph (1), or for the purpose of enabling interoperability of an independently created computer program with other programs, if such means are necessary to achieve such interoperability, to the extent that doing so does not constitute infringement under this title. " So the Copyright Office didn't alter any rules for the SCC case; it just said that the requested rule already existed.