UK to drag copyright law out of the 1980s, but some idiots are still whining
Via Sky News, it looks like the UK will finally allow format-shifting by law if proposals go through. Although the BPI has said in the past that it will not sue users ripping CDs to MP3 (or other digital formats) for personal use (Out-Law.com), there’s no provision for this action in UK law. I wonder how many British people even realise format-shifting for personal use is illegal, bar rare exceptions such as television recordings? (Hell, I bet many Brits don’t realise sharing media is illegal.)
According to Sky:
Today the Government is putting the wheels in motion to change this, allowing people to transfer content and make copies for their own and immediate family’s personal use.
The immediate family provision is interesting, because that will also enshrine in law the ability to make a copy that your family can use, which makes sense. Sadly, some people have repeatedly hit themselves with the stupid stick to the point that they don’t recognise what fair-use should entail. Jonathan Shalit, chairman of Roar Global, told Sky News:
The minute you say it is legal to copy something you’re then legitimising it
Oh do fuck right off, Jonathan Shalit. Are you honestly saying that you shouldn’t legitimise fair-use copying? Ah, of course you are: the repercussion for your clients is the inability to resell the same content again and again and again, on whichever media format is the flavour of the day. Again: fuck off, Jonathan Shalit.
and where does the barrier or boundaries of immediate family end.
Gosh, who knows? Maybe that can actually be defined in law, eh? Maybe the new laws will actually have details and stuff, like other existing laws? But here’s my guess: ‘immediate family’ will mean your immediate family. It’s not that tricky to comprehend as a concept, and is presumably designed for household use (i.e. you buy a CD and your wife can use the ripped version). This is sensible, unless, of course, you’re Jonathan Shalit.
I think it has not been well thought through and a lack of respect remains for artists who create the original product.
Those poor, starving artists, who are going to be BANKRUPT through people being able to legally format-shift (something they already do). Hey, how about this, Jonathan Shalit: why don’t we start respecting the consumers? Why shouldn’t I be able to buy a DVD and rip it to my Mac to stream to my Apple TV? Why shouldn’t I be able to buy a CD and then bung it on my iPod? The days of rebuying content whenever a new playback format arrived are dead. And I’m absolutely stoked to see the UK government—typically one of the least tech-savvy around—realising that content purchasers making copies for their own personal use are doing nothing wrong at all.
I was surprised to hear that personal use format-shifting was technically illegal. We’ve all been ripping CDs to iTunes for years haven’t we? Where has the MPAA or Shalit been making examples of perps in court, like they have for torrenters? The law has become redundant in this case.
@Nitpicker: I think ripping became too quick too fast for the BPI to bother doing anything about it. Also, it’s one thing to criminalise copying something illegally, but it would have been dumb to fine someone for copying their own CDs to their computer (not least when there is provision in law for backing up computer software). But, yes, the law’s now redundant, but this is nonetheless a welcome update.
I think you need to stop watching Sky News.
Bah, cretins. At least said new law seems much more reasonable than anything I’d anticipated. A step to the right direction.
I think we can all see this for what it is. It’s a progressive tax against small high income families, and a subsidy to thieving lower class types with their enormous broods.
I for one am disgusted. Keep it illegal! Bring back the work houses – it’s where copyright abusers belong.
While at the 2d festival (a great comic festival) in derry, on a panel while talking about piracy, I said “And most people don’t realise that copying CDs is actually illegal – though, typical, uninforced”. The ENTIRE audience shouted me down saying “It’s LEGAL”. I was stunned (and though “am I wrong here…?”)
@PJ Holden: Doesn’t surprise me. This is, in part, also due to some other countries having reasonably robust fair-use laws, and so people in the UK assume we have the same. Quite a few hacks didn’t seem to understand why Google and Amazon hadn’t rolled out their music lockers in the UK; it had nothing to do with range, and everything to do with law.