Copyright law catches up with UK surfers (1 Viewer)

Martin

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2000
56,913
#1
Copyright law catches up with UK surfers
By Dinah Greek [31-10-2003]
Just copying one CD or DVD for personal use can make you a criminal under EU directive

UK users of peer-to-peer (P2P) websites could soon find themselves running the same legal gauntlet as their US counterparts.

The European Union Copyright Directive (EUCD) comes into force today, making uploading to P2P sites such as Kazaa and Grokster illegal.

The EUCD, or Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003, amends the Copyright Designs and Patents Act of 1988 and is the EU's attempt to update copyright protection to the digital age and combat software piracy.

Indivuals who make a copy of a copyrighted DVD, CD or music file, whether for back-up or for use on another device such as an MP3 player, are committing a crime.

Even if this is for personal use they theoretically face up to two years in jail or an unlimited fine, and possible civil action from copyright holders.

It will also be illegal for anyone to break anti-copying technologies and publish their findings, as in the 'DVD Jon' case, in which Norwegian encryption cracker Jon Lech Johanson was prosecuted for distributing DVD encryption-cracking software.

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the UK equivalent of the litigious Recording Industry Association of America, has always said it would wait for the EUCD before deciding whether to take legal action against UK users of P2P sites. It is still deliberating.

Peter Jamieson, the BPI's executive chairman, said in a statement given to vnunet.com: "Once we have digested the implications of the revised copyright legislation and communicated this to our members we will consider the need for a wider awareness campaign and, as and when this is carried out, assess its impact and effectiveness before taking further steps."

But the EUCD has been severely criticised by civil liberties groups and lawyers for following too closely the controversial and much criticised 1998 US Digital Millennium Copyright Act and infringing human rights.

"Why shouldn't I be allowed to make a copy of a CD I have paid for so I can listen to it on my computer or put it on an MP3 player? This shows that the law can be an ass," said George Gardiner, technology lawyer and partner at law firm Stephenson Harwood.

http://www.vnunet.com/News/1146800

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Making backups for your own personal use is illegal now? F. insane :fero:
 

Buy on AliExpress.com

gray

Senior Member
Moderator
Apr 22, 2003
30,260
#4
woohoo! Go the Southern Hemisphere!! :thumb::cool:

I don't see what's wrong with keeping my friend's backup copies of his games safe for him, and testing if all the levels work... :devil::p
 
Aug 1, 2003
17,696
#5
we are an IMPROVING third world country deej :rolleyes: not that i care anyway :p

:D its a pity, they try to do anything to avoid these cd copying napster kazaa etc, but i dont think it'll ever work..
 

Hydde

Minimiliano Tristelli
Mar 6, 2003
38,703
#6
I have been always not totally agreed with the INternet MP3 files sharing... because i think that preety unfair for upriing artists and for the big ones too.

Its like stealing their own work you know. It must be very sad to see a work that took you months to be done, spreading in the net with you losing a lot of money in compensation for your hard work, and thats what really makes mee sad about it.

I have to admit that i download files.... but to at least compensate it for something.... i just download a song in particular if im interested...... but i buy the CD´s of my favurites artist (metal bands) to be fair with them(and for my personal use of course). IN that way, at least their work will be not for nothing.

The MP3 of course is good for marketing... as i have bought cds by just hearing some tunes of a band and discovering how good it is.....

but this example is nothing in comparoison with the lot of money that is lost here.

At least i try to compensate my faults for the ones i thing that deserve my money! :down:
 
OP
Martin

Martin

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2000
56,913
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread Starter #7
    ++ [ originally posted by Hydde ] ++
    I have been always not totally agreed with the INternet MP3 files sharing... because i think that preety unfair for upriing artists and for the big ones too.
    I'm not talking about filesharing, I'm talking about copying for personal ground, which has always been a solid moral fundament. If these kinds of bills go through, then ripping a cd to mp3s just so you can play it on the computer suddenly is outlawed. Ripping songs so that you can listen to them on your mp3 player, illegal. There's no precedent for that, it's an outrage!
     

    KB824

    Senior Member
    Sep 16, 2003
    31,656
    #8
    I have a question, and please excuse me if I sound ignorant, but if they are making a law that prohibits you from copying legally purchased music/software for your own backup use or use on your personal computer or MP3 player, how would the government even know that you are doing it??

    Unless you are selling copies of that product, who's to say that you can't make back-up copies for yourself?

    And how on earth do they plan on enforcing this?

    Random checks on people walking the street with a Walkman on??

    This sounds crazy. Like Hydde said, I do not burn music from Kazaa or Napster or whatever file-sharing programs are out there, because I feel that it is taking money away from the artists.

    But if I pay for a Cd, and I want to burn it to my MP3, I should have every right to do so.

    I'm very interested to see how they are going to try to catch potential perpetrators
     

    KB824

    Senior Member
    Sep 16, 2003
    31,656
    #9
    I'll tell you what I think this is.


    This is another attempt by the music industry to try and turn around the disturbing trend in sagging record sales.
     

    Zambrotta

    Senior Member
    Nov 16, 2001
    2,421
    #11
    ++ [ originally posted by USA Juventini ] ++
    I have a question, and please excuse me if I sound ignorant, but if they are making a law that prohibits you from copying legally purchased music/software for your own backup use or use on your personal computer or MP3 player, how would the government even know that you are doing it??

    Unless you are selling copies of that product, who's to say that you can't make back-up copies for yourself?

    And how on earth do they plan on enforcing this?

    Random checks on people walking the street with a Walkman on??
    This law is simply to make the work simplier. If someone has like 3000 copies of a cd, he could say that it was only for personal use, although it was obvious that he was going to sell them he could still go free. But with this new law he will go to jail. It is not like they are going to catch every single guy on the street, this just makes it simplier to get the real bad guys behind bars.
     

    KB824

    Senior Member
    Sep 16, 2003
    31,656
    #12
    ++ [ originally posted by Zambrotta ] ++


    This law is simply to make the work simplier. If someone has like 3000 copies of a cd, he could say that it was only for personal use, although it was obvious that he was going to sell them he could still go free. But with this new law he will go to jail. It is not like they are going to catch every single guy on the street, this just makes it simplier to get the real bad guys behind bars.

    But my question is, what about the person who is making a single backup copy of a program that he purchased? Are they going to arrest him on suspicion that he might sell that one copy?

    Bootlegging is Bootlegging, and that's not too difficult to find them on the street and arrest them, but this sounds more and more like invasion of privacy to me.
     

    Zambrotta

    Senior Member
    Nov 16, 2001
    2,421
    #13
    ++ [ originally posted by USA Juventini ] ++
    But my question is, what about the person who is making a single backup copy of a program that he purchased? Are they going to arrest him on suspicion that he might sell that one copy?

    Bootlegging is Bootlegging, and that's not too difficult to find them on the street and arrest them, but this sounds more and more like invasion of privacy to me.
    Yes, this law could be used in a wrong way. But you know you are not allowed to tape any show on television. I've recorded several shows and I can get arrested for that, but does it happen?
    No. :)
     
    Aug 27, 2003
    3,329
    #14
    well its not like ur selling those tapes now are you? its for your own personal use..
    i mean i tape movies aswell all the time..
    i burn cd aswelll....
    but i still buy other movies and cd the same amount...
    its just stupid all those laws...

    THANK GOD KAZZA DIDNT CLOSE DOWN :)

    in my country u could find all these playstaion games that cost like 2.5 euros (the fake ones)
    and like movies at the same price....
    u know the ps games i swear there aint any diffrece..although those are illegal here but they are found everywhere..
     

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