In the United Kingdom burning CDs and DVDs for personal use is common. Now the ministers of the UK are being urged now to modify copyright laws to allow users to legally rip CDs and DVDs! The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) wants users to have a “private right to copy” digital content. The IPPR acknowledged that the music and film industries are justified in battling illegal file sharing. But the IPPR argues that making copies for personal use does not have significant impact on copyright holders.
Millions of Britons are violating current copyright laws by ripping CDs onto their MP3 players and/or PCs. Currently, Britons are violating an outdated 300-year-old law when copying CDs and DVDs. The British Phonographic Institute has already stated that it will not pursue its rights to bring private copying cases against users if the copying truly is for private purposes only.
An independent research study reports that around 59 percent of Britons believe copying CDs and DVDs to other devices is legal. The chairman of the culture, media and sport select committee inquiry admits that he and his children are in violation of the law. “My own view is that the current laws are unsatisfactory as it is difficult to say to consumers that this bit of the law matters and this bit doesn't matter,” Conservative MP John Whittingdale was quoted as saying.
News source: DailyTech
Millions of Britons are violating current copyright laws by ripping CDs onto their MP3 players and/or PCs. Currently, Britons are violating an outdated 300-year-old law when copying CDs and DVDs. The British Phonographic Institute has already stated that it will not pursue its rights to bring private copying cases against users if the copying truly is for private purposes only.
An independent research study reports that around 59 percent of Britons believe copying CDs and DVDs to other devices is legal. The chairman of the culture, media and sport select committee inquiry admits that he and his children are in violation of the law. “My own view is that the current laws are unsatisfactory as it is difficult to say to consumers that this bit of the law matters and this bit doesn't matter,” Conservative MP John Whittingdale was quoted as saying.
News source: DailyTechShould the ministers of the UK legalize ripping CDs and DVDs?
-Enan Hawk
... yes, i think they should.
About time, I've been waiting ages to copy my DVD's from 1706!
We are allowed with permission from the author to make a backup copy so to preserve the original content.
This kind of crap happened when VHS cassette recorders hit the retail market and before cassette recorders.
This should be the chance for the morons that are supposed to run the Britain to add a larger v.a.t. levy as an excuse.
I don't get why it takes so long to pass legislation.
Well I do however thats another thread.
If i buy a CD or DVD, i expect to be able to use it in a manner that suits my needs and lifestyle.
This may include making a backup copy, or even a secondary backup (for the especially paranoid), or i may simply wish to listen to music on an MP3 player, or on my PC / Mac without having to fiddle around with CDs every time i want to change tracks.
Clearly, if one wished to stay legal and listen to music on the move, it would be quite difficult to do with a large box of CDs in tow and a portable CD player.
With any luck, this modification will be passed.
It would be great if canada started going this way (relaxed laws) aswell . . because copyright/infridgment/digital rights/ are just a waste of time, I hope they see the light eventually.
The artists that make the music - without any money they wouldn't be making any music and piracy would be irrelevant. Copyright laws are essential, however they do need to be updated (and relaxed) to reflect modern usage. It is pointless to have restrictions if the majority of the population are going to bypass them... even MPs freely admit to copying music in a way that is illegal under the current system. Also, DRM has been a disaster because it ties you in to specific MP3 players or music stores, as well as the poor quality of the encodings - it's actually held back progress.
It isn't your content, you own one copy of it, which you should pay the price they set for or do without.
Now, you should be able to fairly use your legally purchased copy - but how the hell do you expect content to be made when nobody pays for it? Or do you expect others to pay, while you get a freeride?
This is flat out wrong; there's lots of quality music made by indie artists who have nothing against free mp3 downloads to advertise themselves. Sure, they want money too, but they're also prepared to look in less conservative ways of profiting from their works. And there are still others who do music primarly for the fun of it, not for the profit, and having more traditional jobs besides their music composing.
There are several good web sites online for these groups and some of my favorite artists belong to it. However, they are being overshadowed by the ads from the music company behemoths, and the power of advertising heavily influence the public's choice in music. With those out of the way, it would be interesting to see how music would start influencing our culture, because it's as surely going to stay as any other aspect of culture is.
Heh, goes to show. At least I've been purchasing the CDs legally, though.
But there will always be people who take advantage !
If the majority of people are breaking the law, unknowingly or otherwise, then clearly something's critically wrong.
That would still be illegal under this law, and that is illegal now, yet still people do it in both cases.
Personally, I wouldn't care much for that. That's another headache for the music industry. What we should at least be able to expect is fair use laws like these to be more clearly defined. I think we shouldn't stop good and sensible laws from coming into effect in fear of other crimes, especially if they'd still be criminal.
Fantastic comparison mate. 10 gold shiney stars for you! There I was thinking that my ripping of MY music was wrong and now I suddenly see it's causeing death and suffering to thousands! How blind have I been? Blind drunk infact at the stearing wheel it seems.
LOL i cant believe they still have most of those laws
Someone making a personal backup so they can keep the original safe has absolutely NO impact on anyone.
Last edited by MrCobra on 30 Oct 2006 - 04:53
You mean, "You know you've got outdated copyright laws when the laws are older than Australia"
No it wasn't, it was founded by the British, as a penal colony, not founded by criminals. Yes, a proportion of the population are likely descended from criminals, but seeing as you could get sent to Australia for something as pathetic as debtors prison, that's hardly significant...
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