Quote:
Originally Posted by Catlady
Did your legal department say that you needed to retain the physical copy as well? And if you don't--if you sell it or give it away or even lose it--how does that affect the legality of the digital copy, in their opinion?
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It is like any other potential for illegality - you can be honest or not. People who rip CDs and DVDs are legally obligated to keep the original, it is up to them whether they do or not. No law or penalty can be based on the presumption that people will act in a criminal manner, law can only attempt to prosecute them if they do. If you give the original away then you will be in breach of copyright. If you lose it you won't, the licence is still yours, it can only pass to another if you give it or sell it. If I lose or have my car stolen, it is still mine, the person who stole it or found it does not have title.
I keep all my books and all my music although most of them are now in digital format. I have packing cases of old CDs, LPs and Cassette tapes mouldering away in a storage facility; more than two and a half thousand of them. We had a case that made news here recently - a woman who made a dress for her daughter based on an expensive designer dress that she saw in a magazine. She received a small fine. I think that the Magistrate was reluctant to even go that far but had to follow the law.