'Outdated' UK copyright law needs fair usage rights for consumers

UK copyright laws are outdated and not fit for purpose in the digital age according to a survey from Consumers International.

Currently people in the UK who copy DVDs or CDs, or transfer copyrighted media to other devices are breaking the law; which the report from the world federation of consumer groups said showed "the insidious shift in the underlying attitudes of policy makers regarding the balance between copyright owners and consumers."

Consumer Focus and the Open Rights Group (ORG) said Consumers International's findings, that ranked UK copyright law as the third worst in the world, were "timely". An independent review updating UK copyright laws due for publication next month gave a "vital opportunity" to update the country's law.

They have now called on the Government to introduce fair usage rights into UK copyright law.

Jim Killock, executive director of digital rights campaigners the ORG said:
"It is crazy that ripping an MP3 from a CD you've bought is a breach of copyright law.

"It's equally crazy that sampling a second or two of a tune, or satirising it, is a breach of copyright. Rules this rigid are suppressing legitimate uses of songs, films and ebooks we've paid for and bring the entire principle of copyright into disrepute.

"Other countries do incredibly well by having flexible 'fair use' rights while fully protecting copyright. Britain should try to be fair as well."

The study from Consumers International examined the way copyright law worked in different countries, balancing the rights of consumers while protecting rights holders.

The UK, along with Thailand, Chile, Brazil and Belarus are at the bottom of the league with the least consumer-friendly copyright laws. Moldova, the Unites States, India, Lebanon and New Zealand came top of the table.

However, the report found that "Overall, most countries' support for consumers' interests in access to knowledge was still pretty weak in 2011."

It said by looking at the tables and rights consumers are given "you get the idea very clearly: the reproduction by consumers even of legally acquired materials for non-commercial purposes is treated not as a right that they enjoy as a quid pro quo for the grant of monopoly rights to creators, but rather as inflicting ‘damage' upon creators for which they are entitled to be compensated."

Consumer Focus said that when Professor Ian Hargreaves publishes his review on how copyright law should be updated for the digital age, the Government should take the opportunity to end the absurd "criminalisation" of activities which most people see as harmless.

Mike O'Connor CBE, Consumer Focus' chief executive said: "Nobody supports large-scale copying but ordinary consumers should be allowed 'fair use' rights to be able to copy the music, films and ebooks they have paid for onto their phones, MP3 players and computers for their own use.

"Smartphones and digital media players are part of our day-to-day lives and it's high time the law caught up. It is absurd that consumers can't use digital technology to enjoy what they have bought without finding themselves on the wrong side of the law.

"Other countries have shown the way and we should catch up in the interests of consumers and high-tech growth.'