Is bypassing Digital Rights Management just as punishable as illegally downloading music?
Yes and no. Circumventing DRM is governed by the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA). It provides similar civil remedies as copyright violation. The criminal sanctions for a violation of the DMCA are also similar, but it is only a crime if done for the purpose of “commercial advantage or private financial gain.” Copyright infringement could be a crime if done for commercial advantage or private financial gain, or if you make copies worth over $1000. The remedies/punishments are very similar, but not identical.
