Ripping CDs Set To Be Legalized In UK 156
nk497 writes "The UK is finally set to legalize format shifting, making it legal for the first time to rip songs or films from CDs and DVDs. Ripping is technically illegal under copyright protection laws, despite most industry lobbyists agreeing it was time for a change. The rules look set to be modernized as the government endorses a recent intellectual property report, which also called for the government to ditch plans to require ISPs to block illegal file-sharing sites without a court order."
Re:Seriously? (Score:5, Informative)
It is indeed currently illegal to format shift here
but it's not enforced
Under the same law it's technically "illegal" to tape something off the TV
but only in the most obvious of obvious selling-bootleg-copies-down-the-market instances is anything ever done about it
Re:Rain on the parade... (Score:4, Informative)
While the extradition treaty is a bit shit, your understanding of it is far too simplistic, and that is dangerous in itself - no UK citizen has yet been extradited for carrying out something legal in the UK that is illegal in the US. All examples of usage of the extradition has been where the act has been illegal in both countries, *and* the US has been able to show that some of the act was carried out in the US.
Re:everything similar to Audio CD or only Red Book (Score:5, Informative)
No, we just have copyright laws that have no concept of fair use.
Therefore we can't time or format shift, can't use copyrighted material in parodies or for other works without getting permission from the copyright holder, and so forth.
Nobody ever prosecuted anyone on these issues unless it was blatantly criminal activity (e.g. selling dodgy copies on a market stall). But ignorance of the law is no excuse, and under these laws about 95% of all UK citizens are criminals. I doubt you'll find anyone alive since the 80's that hasn't copied music to tape for listening in a car/walkman, recorded something to videotape for later viewing, ripped music from a CD as an MP3/AAC file, and so forth. It's just become one of those laws that's there but nobody cares about.
I've not checked the proposed changes, but I suspect that it's a fairly broad - and long overdue - attempt to introduce a more US-like set of exceptions. I doubt that we will be allowed to legally circumvent DRM, though - that would be a step too far for the corporate lobbyists.
People are just reporting the "legal to copy a CD" thing because it's attention grabbing. Most readers will look at the headline and wonder what it's on about, as they didn't know it was illegal...
Re:Rain on the parade... (Score:4, Informative)
All examples of usage of the extradition has been where the act has been illegal in both countries, *and* the US has been able to show that some of the act was carried out in the US.
What about Richard O'Dwyer of TVShack fame? http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/07/big-content-unveils-latest-antipiracy-weapon-extradition.ars/ [arstechnica.com]
The legality of linking It's not clear whether O'Dwyer has even committed a crime under UK law. O'Dwyer is not accused of hosting infringing content himself. Instead, his site provided links to content hosted by other websites. In December, a British judge ruled in favor [torrentfreak.com] of TV-Links, a website that, like Tvshack, offered links to video content, some of it infringing.
Re:everything similar to Audio CD or only Red Book (Score:4, Informative)
"But if the encryption prevents things you're allowed to do (so, soon format shifting...?) then there must be a way round that."
Not really. Being "allowed" to do something does not mean you have a right to do so. This is also a common misconception regarding the US Fair Use doctrine. Fair Use is not a right, but it is a defence you can use in a case against you.
I can't really add anything beyond just copying out the bit of the Wikipedia:
The new section 296ZE creates a remedy via complaint to the Secretary of State if a technical device or measure prevents a person or group of people from carrying out a permitted act with relation to the work. The Secretary of State may issue a direction to the owner of the copyright to take such measures as are necessary to enable the permitted act to be carried out. The breach of such a direction is actionable as a breach of statutory duty.
and the relevant section of the act [legislation.gov.uk].
The law itself is far too confusing.