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February 16, 2006
Ripping music for iPods is not fair use (PC Pro)
In court RIAA [Recording Industry Association of America] lawyer Don Verrilli said: 'The record companies have said, for some time now, and it's been on their website for some time now, that it's perfectly lawful to take a CD that you've purchased, upload it onto your computer, put it onto your iPod.'
However in the Copyright Office filing the RIAA takes a contrary view.
'Nor does the fact that permission to make a copy in particular circumstances is often or even routinely granted, necessarily establish that the copying is a fair use when the copyright owner withholds that authorization,' it argues. 'In this regard, the statement attributed to counsel for copyright owners in the MGM v. Grokster case is simply a statement about authorisation, not about fair use.'
In other words, explained Fred von Lohmann, senior staff attorney for the EFF, a leading digital rights campaign organisation, if you want to copy a CD to your iPod, get permission first.
[I fear a day when making a mix tape or burning a mix CD is outlawed. Why can't music just be for music's sake? BK]
Posted by kuechebj at February 16, 2006 04:08 PM