Can someone explain to me how links to copyright content come under DMCA? Twitter is most definitely not hosting the copyright content? Why are they even at the receiving end of takedown requests?
>Question: Why does a user-generated content site get DMCA takedown notices for links users have posted?
>Answer: Many copyright claimants are making complaints under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Section 512(d), a safe-harbor for providers of "information location tools." These safe harbors give providers immunity from liability for users' possible copyright infringement -- if they "expeditiously" remove material when they get complaints. Whether or not the provider would have been liable for infringement by users' materials it links to, the provider can avoid the possibility of a lawsuit for money damages by following the DMCA's takedown procedure when it gets a complaint. The person whose information was removed can file a counter-notification if he or she believes the complaint was erroneous.
http://chillingeffects.org/dmca512c/notice.cgi?NoticeID=1807...
I'd surmise it is because to non-technical users, the distinction between a "link" to the content and the "content" itself is something they don't understand. From their point of view, the "link" is the content because when they click the link, the content appears.
The vast majority of atty's filing dmca notices would fall into the non-technical user category.