UK Legal change for CD ripping
Rules outlawing the transfer of content from CDs or DVDs on to MP3 files and computers are set to be scrapped by the government.
Business secretary Vince Cable will announce the official response to the 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The review was intended to identify legislation that has been outdated by technological change.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 of copyright material.
The government is widely expected to accept and pledge to implement many parts of the review.
Mr Cable told the BBC that he hoped to add “more clarity” to the current copyright laws and confirmed that most private ripping of music and video would no longer be technically illegal.
“We are talking about big changes,” he said. “Bringing the laws more up-to- date to have a proper balance which allows consumers and businesses to operate more freely, but at the same time protect genuinely creative artists and penalise pirates.”
The business secretary said the economy would benefit by £8bn over the next few years by updating the legislation.
via BBC News.
