The Badderer Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 My understanding was that you are allowed to have one physical and one digital (i.e. MP3 etc.) copy of the original that you have purchased. Copyright only covers you being someone distributing music TO other people. If you have bought legally a CD or MP3, you can convert them into any format you want if it is for your own personal use. It is when you start GIVING it TO someone else who hasn't paid for it that you are then in breach of copyright law. Obviously I am no copyright law expert and accept that there will be far better informed people to tell me where I'm wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybertect Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 (edited) [quote name='The Badderer' timestamp='1438791017' post='2837388'] My understanding was that you are allowed to have one physical and one digital (i.e. MP3 etc.) copy of the original that you have purchased. Copyright only covers you being someone distributing music TO other people. If you have bought legally a CD or MP3, you can convert them into any format you want if it is for your own personal use. It is when you start GIVING it TO someone else who hasn't paid for it that you are then in breach of copyright law. Obviously I am no copyright law expert and accept that there will be far better informed people to tell me where I'm wrong. [/quote] No, there are two separate issues 1) Making an unauthorised copy (i.e. ripping the CD): CD&PA [url="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/2"]Section 2[/url] and [url="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/17"]Section 17[/url] - the author has exclusive rights to make (or authorise the making of) copies of a copyrighted work. 2) Distributing that copy to other people [url="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/18"]Section 18[/url], [url="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/20"]Section 20[/url] Both are illegal under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The first is a civil matter between the rights owner and you - the rights owner has to sue you to recover damages. The second may be a matter of criminal prosecution if it is done in the course of business or "otherwise than in the course of a business to such an extent as to affect prejudicially the owner of the copyright" [url="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/107"]Section 107, Para 2A[/url] Edit: There is an exemption for temporary copies ([url="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/28A"]s28A[/url] for example making temporary copies in an web browser cache or [url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/70]s70[/url] for time-shifting television programmes on a VCR or PVR) but there is no exemption for a permanent 'backup copy' of a CD. Edited August 6, 2015 by cybertect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Badderer Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I think the point 1) is one of those unspoken rules. You aren't breaking the law to a criminal extent by making your own personal copy hence why they then leave it to the owner of the rights to sue you in a civil court. If you aren't doing any harm with your copy then you aren't going to get sued. If you decide to start DJing with it, then you may find yourself in court. It's like people recording TV. everyone is allowed to do it, but you then aren't pursued for still having copies of films 3 years later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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