Ripping Music Is Now Legal... in the UK
As Classic Rock reports, while it had previously been regarded as piracy to make copy of tracks for backup purposes or for use on another listening platform, the Intellectual Property Act which came into effect in the UK yesterday allows users to keep multiple copies of material that they have purchased.
However, there are caveats the ruling. Users are not allowed to keep copies made if they sell on the original item and it remains illegal to record streamed music or copy a rented title. Speaking to the BBC, Minister for Intellectual Property Baroness Neville-Rolfe noted:
"These changes are to bring our laws into the 21st century. They mean that the UK is now responsive to the modern business environment, and more flexible for consumers."
Analyst Alice Enders has noted that, unlike in some parts of Europe, content creators in the UK aren't being offered compensation for legal copying. In other European countries a levy is charged on blank media and media players as a form of royalty:
"Content owners will become more concerned. They don't want their works to be copied without compensation - they want to sell it, rent it to you or get you on a subscription. No money comes from a copy."
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