Copying CD’s and Recording TV Shows to be Legal in Oz
MILLIONS of Australians who tape TV shows and copy CDs will soon get the right to do it with a clear conscience.
The Federal Government will next year legalise the video recording of television shows for personal use, and the transfer of songs from CDs to MP3 players, in a bid to overturn a ban which has made criminals of much of the population.
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock has flagged tidying up copyright laws by adding fair-use loopholes that will clear the way for private citizens to copy the content without breaking the law. But yet to be decided is whether a levy will be slapped on the store price of blank CDs and MP3 players, such as iPods, to compensate artists for the revenue they stand to lose under the new laws.
Though the practice is widespread, it remains illegal to convert a CD to MP3 format for playing on an iPod. There are more than 100,000 Australian iPod owners, all of whom have broken the law by uploading music. It is also against the law to tape a television program. A spokeswoman for Mr Ruddock said the Government was close to completing draft laws that would allow people to copy their CDs on to iPods and tape television programs. Mr Ruddock foreshadowed the changes this month. ”
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Chaff said,
December 29, 2005 at 1:34 pm
“Hey Ma! Good news! I’m not a criminal no more!”
Q said,
December 30, 2005 at 10:13 am
It’d be hillarious to see the police tracking down everyone with an mp3 player and fining them. :D
Z said,
January 4, 2006 at 1:25 pm
Common sense wins at last. Even most of the police force is made up of criminals under the old laws, along with allot of other civil servants who tape tv shows and share tapes.