The legislation that allows for CD ripping or right to format shift for private use has been adopted in the UK thereby allowing Brits to legally create mp3 files from their discs and to copy them to different devices for personal use.
Up until now it was technically illegal to rip CDs and copy songs to mp3 players and other such devices even for personal use in the UK. The new law relaxes those rules and “aims to support reasonable use of copyright materials by law abiding people”.
Dame Lucy Neville-Rolfe, a conservative member of the House of Lords, revealed that she is aware that there are certain parties which are still concerned about the possibilities of copyright issues and how the new legislation will affect the livelihood of creators of such content.
However, she added that while some countries add tax onto mp3 players in a bid to draw money, this sort of arrangement may not work in the UK.
“The government does not believe that British consumers would tolerate private copying levies. They are inefficient, bureaucratic and unfair, and disadvantage people who pay for content,” she said.
The new legislation doesn’t allow individuals to give or sell copies of the content they have ripped from their private collection to anyone including friends and family.
Organisation likes Open Rights Group and DigitalEurope have applauded UK’s move and have congratulated the government for the legislation.
“We congratulate the UK government on this exemplary legislation which sets the benchmark for Europe in the future,” said John Higgins, director general of DigitalEurope.
The new law goes into effect from October.
