UK law set to change to allow format shifting...on CDs and DVDs

[Tome Keeper]

Great report this morning that changes to copyright law are coming to the UK to allow consumers to format shift CDs and DVDs. No mention of e-books but hopefully it is a step in the right direction.

Not sure it will make much difference as so many people rip CDs anyway.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14372698

Soon it will no longer be illegal to rip CDs or DVDs for personal use.

The government is poised to announce the change as it accepts some of the recommendations of the wide-ranging Hargreaves Review of UK copyright law.

The review was intended to identify legislation that has been outdated by technological change.

As well as legalising "format shifting", it also suggested relaxing rules on parody and creating an agency to licence copyrighted content.

Business secretary Vince Cable is set to announce the official response to the Hargreaves Review at a press conference.

The government is widely expected to accept and pledge to implement many parts of the review.

'Not very good law'
Millions of people regularly convert movies on DVDs and music on CDs into a format that they can move around more easily, although most do not realise that it technically illegal.

"The review pointed out that if you have a situation where 90% of your population is doing something, then it's not really a very good law," said Simon Levine, head of the intellectual property and technology group at DLA Piper.
Legalising non-commercial copying for private use would bring the UK into line with many other nations and also meet the "reasonable expectations" of consumers, said the government.

The change would not make it legal to make copies and then share them online.

The legal anomaly preventing personal "ripping" was one of many identified by Professor Ian Hargreaves in the review as stifling innovation.

One technology caught out by the law was the Brennan JB7 music player that lets owners copy their CDs onto a hard drive that can be accessed from around a home.

The Advertising Standards Authority demanded that Brennan advise customers that using the JB7 breaks the law.

Copycat
Some legal experts believe that the acceptance of format shifting, combined with relaxations on manipulating works for the purpose of parody, paved the way for creative people to use content in different ways.

Susan Hall, a media specialist at law firm Cobbetts LLP, said the changes would give many artists "room to breathe" and remove the nervousness they might feel when using another work as inspiration.

One example that would be tolerated under the new regime is the Welsh rap song Newport State of Mind which was based on Jay Z and Alicia Keys's song Empire State of Mind.


Many Britons rip CDs and DVDs to make them easier to watch and listen to
Despite winning many fans on YouTube, the track was removed following a copyright claim by EMI. It is still available on other websites.

"There are all sorts of things that are genuine artistic works which are nevertheless based on parody, caricature and pastiche," said Ms Hall.

Updated laws on copyright could have a profound effect on the popular culture that can be created, albeit one that was hard to measure, she added.

One example is that of Doctor Who writers Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat who began their careers writing fan fiction about the time lord.

Such creative synergies could become more common in a more tolerant copyright climate, suggested Ms Hall.

"Rights holders are often very nervous about things like this but when you come down to it, it's the people that buy everything who also go to the trouble of writing and creating more," she said.

"It's about riffing off, not passing off."

[HarryT]

This is long overdue. Very welcome news.

[DMB]

Almost everyone I know rips CDs. The only exceptions are technophobes.

[Tome Keeper]

Originally Posted by DMB

Almost everyone I know rips CDs. The only exceptions are technophobes.

This is why the law is changing. They've figured it's pointless to ban something everyone does. Also British copyright law is very outdated.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Tome Keeper

This is why the law is changing. They've figured it's pointless to ban something everyone does. Also British copyright law is very outdated.

The BPI (the British music industry's trade body) stated some years ago that they wouldn't prosecute anyone for ripping CDs that they'd legitimately bought. This is a case where the law is catching up with the existing situation.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by Tome Keeper

No mention of e-books

There's no mention of ebooks in the BBC story you quoted, but the Hargreaves Review covers all aspects of copyright law. It's highly unlikely that the proposed changes will only apply to CDs, DVDs, etc.

[mr ploppy]

Circumvention of copyright protection is still going to be illegal, so even if format shifting is extended to include ebooks most of them still won't be allowed.

[SleepyBob]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Circumvention of copyright protection is still going to be illegal, so even if format shifting is extended to include ebooks most of them still won't be allowed.

Wouldn't that make format-shifting DVDs still illegal, then?

[feenix1363]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Circumvention of copyright protection is still going to be illegal, so even if format shifting is extended to include ebooks most of them still won't be allowed.

Maybe, but hopefully you will be able to use an ebook version of a dtb book you hold.

As a reader, rather than a collector, that would suit my reading habits. Pick up a book from the local charity shop or book shop, download an e-version, read, delete, donate dtb to the charity shop.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by feenix1363

Maybe, but hopefully you will be able to use an ebook version of a dtb book you hold.

As a reader, rather than a collector, that would suit my reading habits. Pick up a book from the local charity shop or book shop, download an e-version, read, delete, donate dtb to the charity shop.

The discussion is about personal copying, not downloading someone else's copy. So the equivalent would be scanning the book in yourself.

[feenix1363]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

The discussion is about personal copying, not downloading someone else's copy. So the equivalent would be scanning the book in yourself.

I was more wishful thinking than quoting to be honest.

But as domestic scanners are getting cheaper and easier to use, that will also be an option in the near future imho.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by feenix1363

Maybe, but hopefully you will be able to use an ebook version of a dtb book you hold.

As a reader, rather than a collector, that would suit my reading habits. Pick up a book from the local charity shop or book shop, download an e-version, read, delete, donate dtb to the charity shop.

Downloading a pirated version of a book is illegal - and will remain illegal - regardless of whether or not you own a paper copy of the book.

[kjk]

Great news-can't wait to start ripping all my CDs & DVDs with my new Macbook Mini...awww, damn..

[Phogg]

Originally Posted by kjk

Great news-can't wait to start ripping all my CDs & DVDs with my new Macbook Mini...awww, damn..

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by SleepyBob

Wouldn't that make format-shifting DVDs still illegal, then?

Someone on the news was saying that music CD prices would have to rise because of this change in the law. I didn't really understand why that would be the case until now -- obviously it would be to pay for the new copy protection scheme they will have to add to music CDs.