Tech
iTunes is now illegal in the UK
by Jeremy Mersereau
August 7, 2015
An overturned law renders file-copying illegal in the UK once again.
Across the pond, they do things a little differently. They get “barmy” instead of crazy, they go to bed when they’re “knackered,” and if something is cool, it’s “the dog’s bollocks,” because well, obviously! Another thing they apparently do is make ripping mp3s off your legally-owned CDs illegal.
Under pressure from various music industry groups, a UK High Court has overturned a year-old law enacted to protect consumers from prosecution for making copies of media for personal use. Essentially, this (re-)criminalizes using iTunes to rip the latest Keith Urban album onto your personal computer for your own use. Well, it’s fine in the case of Keith Urban, he’s dog balls, but what about other, non-Urban artists? Not to mention movies, e-books, and the entire spectrum of copyrighted media. You mean, I could be arrested for my 1000 backup copies of Wing Commander? I just think that movie’s “tickety-boo,” that’s all!
“It is now unlawful to make private copies of copyright works you own, without permission from the copyright holder – this includes format shifting from one medium to another” a spokesperson for the UK Intellectual Property Office told venerable journalistic institution Torrent Freak. They continued: “It includes creating back-ups without permission from the copyright holder as this necessarily involves an act of copying.” So then, it isn’t just ripping CDs that are now illegal in the UK, it’s an entire range of activities like automated backups and cloud storage.
Granted, it’s still unlikely that anyone who makes copies of personally-owned media will face any kind of significant legal action, but the fact that the law has been overturned allows copyright holders to take infringers to court, if they feel the need. And they will probably feel the need.
“Well, I’m fine here in uh… Orillia,” or wherever, I hear you thinking, safe and sound with your 18-gig Keith Urban mp3 folder. Don’t be so sure! Our own Bill C-11 is meant to only penalize “bad actors” and leave the individuals involved in illegal file copying alone, but it still has some of the most restrictive language regarding the practice in the world. It could soon be us languishing in an RCMP dungeon, and all for the victimless crime of making 1000 copies of Wing Commander. Stay vigilant, fellow backup/Freddie Prinze Jr. lovers!
