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Law making it illegal to transfer music from your CD to your iPod gets overhaul
Last updated at 13:52pm on 09.01.08In a fast-moving digital age, it is a law that millions break, probably without realising it.
However, that could be about to change with proposals to legalise "for private use" the copying of compact discs on to computers or MP3 players.
The practice of transferring music from one format to another is technically illegal, although in reality there is little prospect of anyone being prosecuted for it.
Tuning in: The proposals will be music to the ears of those who copy CDs on to their MP3 players
If the Government proposals go ahead, music on a computer could be legally copied to a blank CD and old CDs could be transferred to an iPod for private use.
They would also allow a legally downloaded movie to be put on to DVD.
Multiple copying and "file sharing" over the internet however would still be banned and it may still be against the law to lend or give away a copy of music or a movie to a friend.
The proposed changes to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 follow a widespread review of the law which many feel is out of date. The plans will be put out to consultation until April.
Intellectual Property Minister Lord Triesman said: "In an increasingly digital world, we need to be sure our copyright system keeps up with the times and works effectively."
There is likely to be little opposition to the changes.
However, the finer details, such as whether the rules should be applied to existing CDs or only new discs and how "private use" is defined, may prompt a more heated debate.
There are also concerns the plans fail to tackle digital issues like internet "file sharing" - a practice which means that only around one in 20 downloads are now paid for.
Last November the British Phonographic Industry called for action to make internet service providers do more to encourage customers to obey the law and stop internet "theft" of music.
BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor said: "The key thing for us is that any changes to the law achieve the stated aim of clarifying the law for consumers, whilst not doing harm to rightsholders."
The National Consumer Council said users were confused because transferring music between formats was possible because of technological advances but was illegal from a copyright point of view.
Spokesman Jill Johnstone said: "That's why we support moves to update this discredited law."
Reader views (3)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
So how would this affect the backing up of CD's for example? If I were to copy a CD onto another CD for backup purposes only and play the backup whilst keeping the undamaged original would this be okay? If so, then all existing anti-piracy software surely would become redundant?
- Dr M, London
After reading the reply from Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark, I can only conclude that he/she is on drugs and some very good ones. What on earth is that about?
The British Phonographic Industry call to ISPs to stop people downloading music while legally and possibly morally correct will not increase sales of music. The people who download illegally will not go out and buy the music, they will do as they done before the internet and do without. It is just a case of the internet being there and the fact that they can get this stuff easily that makes them download.
- Steven Patrick M, London, UK
Copyright is such a bizarre concept. How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them? The people who originate the products that are copyrighted rarely are the beneficiaries so the supposed primary purpose: to give them a temporary monopoly to enable compensation and encourage future development, is a farcical illusion.
Why not just let these out-dated laws fall by the wayside, like the one about shooting a Welsh person in Chester with a bow and arrow, which only appears bizarre to us now as it is equally outdated.
This tinkering with the copyright law is much like putting oil into a rusty axle, it'll maybe stop the squeaks for a short time, yet ultimately is quite pointless.
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark
