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UK Law
Bose
you are absolutely correct about the laws appertaining to
the copying of CDs etc in the UK.... apart from one thing.
The PPC (formaly the Performing Rights Society) which is the main
Body responsible for enforcing the protection of copyright within the recording Industry as well as distrubuting the fees it receives from the licensing of public performances to the artist's it represent's...states that under the Recording Copyright Act
(revised ) 1998 It is an offence to make a copy of any copyrighted
material, in any format ,whatsoever. Full Stop. (Period).(This is obviously a much scaled down representation of the Act. Its actually over 400 pages long)
The PPC is "Policed" in the UK by Trading Standards Departments
of all local (Council) Authorities.
Anyone caught using "copied" material (even if they own the original disc) at public performances, is liable under English Statute Law.. to have the equipment used for playing the copyrighted material (Amps, Speaker's, player's etc,) confiscated
as well as any equipment used in the copying of the said material
(computer's, burner's, even the software used!!) as well as fine's
and there is even a threat of imprisonment
Now I don't mean to scare anyone with this post.. but this is the
Law in the UK.. We use back up copies at our clubs because our
Insurance Company will not insure our collection of Karaoke and
Audio CDs housed on 4 site's, and insist we use back ups .
We have been told by the PPC and the Local Trading Standards
Department we are breaking the Law and as such we have asked for a Judicial Review to be Heard in Leeds Crown Court in April 2002... I will let you know the result... My next post could well be from a prison cell
Best Wishes From Yorkshire...STEVE
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