UK ready to make CD copying ‘legal’
p2pnet news | Music:- With America’s Jeffrey Howell case in the background, limited copying of one, but only one, CD might soon be officially sanctioned in Britain.
“Copying music from a CD to a home computer could be made legal under new proposals,” says the BBC.
What!? You thought it was OK to do that already?
Not according to Warner Music, EMI, Vivendi Universal and Sony BMG, the members of the Big 4 organised music cartel
“Millions of people already ‘rip’ discs to their computers and move the files to MP3 players, although the process is technically against copyright law,” saysthe story, going on:
“Intellectual property minister Lord Triesman said the law should be changed so it ‘keeps up with the times’,” and, “Music industry bodies gave a cautious welcome to the proposals, which are up for public consultation until 8 April.”
If the law goes through, people will be ‘allowed’ to copy music for their personal use, “meaning multiple copying and internet file-sharing would still be banned,” and, “Owners would not be allowed to sell or give away their original discs once they had made a copy.”
In the US, Jeffrey Howell’s case has attracted international attention, “as well as creating an on- and offline media uproar with RIAA boss Carey Sherman trying to excuse a potentially devastating (for the RIAA) blunder by a Sony lawyer, giving evidence in the one and only case which has so far reached a jury, as mere ‘misspeaking’.”
Also see:
BBC – Copying CDs could be made legal, January 8, 2008
potentially devastating – 3.5 â the RIAA`s `magic number`, January 7, 2008
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January 8th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Legal or not, there’s no way in hell they’ll ever be able to enforce it. Like the story says, millions of UK citizens already make fair use of their legally-purchased media, even if it is against the law. Just like America has over 60 million active P2P users, and countless others who use DVD decrypting software, game console modifications, etc., regardless of what the law says. The law means bugger all when it comes to consumer rights. The bottom line is that consumers are not willing to stand for this kind of abuse, and will do whatever it takes to put themselves back in control. Just ask the 250 thousand consumers who have unlocked their iPhones. If there’s anything attempting to stop the consumers from exercising their rights (legislation, DRM, etc), they’ll find a way around it. Anything that can be seen, heard or used can and will be copied. If the industry won’t provide the means to do so, we’ll provide it ourselves.
January 8th, 2008 at 10:28 am
I think the RIAA are a bunch of old geizers that should have been put out to pasture along time ago
January 8th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
The RIAA and the government are in the stone age.
Anyway, I’m the type that ignores the smaller rules if they’re obviously stupid, and particularly if everyone else on the planet breaks them as well.
January 8th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
i believe this also applies to dvd’s (as long as they are not encrypted)
January 10th, 2008 at 6:31 am
In 30 minutes i can upload any movie and spread it across the world, making over 200 copies to 200 people in less than 30 minutes..
Thats just from me, 1 person. The other 200 will make the numbers go way up
I think the record labels and movie industry needs to die, their not needed anymore and they have done their part. Artists needs to realize they dont need record labels, especially not the big ones..
Theres plenty of small CD printing corps that cant print CDs, and online sales with shipping for the ones who wants a piece of plastic.
For income Artists should have to work, do concerts, sell goods, advertice/promote on their own or let a company that doesnt steal their income completely do it.
Theres so many ways, but first the industry need to change and the parasites feeding on the artists needs to die..
Artists will like that their creations are spread all over the world, if they dont they do not know what it means to be an Artist anymore! And dont deserve to be one.
January 10th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
In the UK it is illegal