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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Family Movie Act has the backing of the House Judiciary Subcommittee.
The act would assure manufacturers of DVD players and other devices that use software to filter sex, violence or foul language from movies that they're not violating copyrights of the Hollywood producers of movies.
The committee voted 18-to-nine in favor of the act today. The full House still has to approve the bill.
The bill's author says the act guarantees that parents will be free to use technology to protect what children watch. But critics argue the bill is aimed at helping Utah-based ClearPlay, Incorporated, who sells the filters that can be added to DVD players. And Hollywood executives say ClearPlay's technology represents unauthorized editing of their movies.
(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
