Commissario
The following post is quite long - but covers our attitude to copyright infringement.
Many of you have asked for clarification as to WHAT we allow, and many have debated WHY we allow or disallow it.
The first part of this post explains what we understand the law to say, and WHY we take the stance we do.
The second part explains what you can, and cannot, discuss on these forums. At the very least - read the second half. Your account is at risk if you ignore what it says - and ignorance of this post will NOT be accepted an excuse.
Would all members please note that the law on Copyright specifically protects the creator of an original work from having their work copied without permission. Breaking this law can have both civil and criminal implications, and not only puts the person breaking the law at risk, but potentially OcUK as well. For this reason, it will not be tolerated on these forums.
So what is covered?
Under UK law (and any country covered by the Berne Convention) any artist, photographer, composer, writer, musician (et al) creating an original work is AUTOMATICALLY protected by copyright. The creator does NOT have to do ANYTHING to get that protection. The work does not have to be registered, and it does not have to carry a Copyright notice.
So this will SPECIFICALLY include photographs, magazine articles, articles on webistes and - and please note the emphasis, Audio CD's, Computer Software and Movies
Unless your use of protected material is either with the express written permission of the copyright holder, or falls into one of the very limited statutory exemptions, then copying it is breaking the law - and discussing how to do it here is not allowed.
There are some things you ARE allowed to do. These include :
Time-shifting. This allows you to record broadcast transmissions for watching a reasonable time later. It means temporary recording for viewing with a short period and does not permit long-term archiving, like a movie to DivX on CD-R.
Creating a necessary backup copy, for your own use, of computer software to which you have a legitimate licence. This means you can protect yourself, but does NOT mean you can make a copy of a game to give a mate, or copy his games. This statutory permission does NOT apply to audio CD's, DVD's, etc.
other permitted uses, like quoting for academic purposes, provided you follow the necessary conditions, like giving due credit.
copying where the copyright has expired. But the term of copyright varies, and is likely to be 50 years or more from the date of creation. Also note that for classical music, for instance, not only would copyright exist (and probably have expired) on the original music, but that each recording will be protected as well. So you may be able to perform Beethoven's 5th and record it yourself, but you cannot pirate the latest Decca recording of it.
So please
NO threads discussing copying or creating MP3's of the latest pop album release, etc
NO discussion of downloading movies for the purpose of DivX or MPEG'ing. If you want to discuss putting your OWN movie footage on CD-R/DVD recordable, then fine - but NOT copyright material.
NO discussion of downloading pirate software or copying CD's unless you are simply backing up software you own for your own purposes.
NO discussion of movies or tv shows that haven't been released in the UK, if it hasn't been shown in a UK cinema or on a UK tv station, no discussion is allowed.
NO pirating, or discussions about pirating, of other copyright material from the web, including warez. This includes using the board to post broad hints and "email me"-type remarks.
Please be aware that we have no wish to spoil anyone's fun, or sound holier than thou, but what you discuss here can have legal implications for OcUK and has the potential to get forums like OcUK SHUT DOWN if we do not takes steps to prevent it.
So not only are such activities banned, but :-
we take such threads seriously
no amount of nudge, nudge or winking smileys will save your account if you breach these rules.
No heads up threads are allowed, as these tend to clutter up the forum.
It is NOT a laughing matter, and will quite possibly result in anyone contravening this losing their account here permanently.
Tougher penalties for UK copyright thieves
By John Leyden
Posted: 30/07/2002 at 11:19 GMT
A Bill which increases the maximum penalty for copyright theft in the UK from two years to 10 years has become law.
The Private Member's Bill, introduced by Liberal Democrat MP Dr Vincent Cable, also gives the authorities increased provision to obtain search warrants and powers to seize goods.
The Copyright etc and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Bill passed smoothly through both houses of Parliament before receiving Royal Assent last Friday. It will be in force in the Autumn.
The main provisions of the Copyright etc and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Bill are:
Increase the penalties for copyright offences from two years to 10 years. This matches the penalty for trade mark law and also conspiracy to defraud. This rise in the penalty will be sought for cases where copyright holders suffer serious damage. The new penalty will also apply to the production of unauthorised decoders.
Strengthen search warrant powers for police officers to make it easier to expose counterfeiting so warrants can now be obtained for all copyright offences, including possession and sale of infringing articles/bootlegs.
Amend the current law on forfeiture, "which is a disorganised mixture of civil and criminal provisions". The new legislation will replace this and give all copyright investigations the same rights of service and forfeiture found within trade mark legislation.
Dr Vince Cable, MP for Twickenham and Liberal Democrat shadow Trade and Industry Spokesman, expressed delight that his bill had successfully passed through Parliament. The bill gives many creative industries "effective legal remedies" to fight against counterfeiting and piracy they previously lacked, he added.
"I see the bill as a triple hit - it protects consumers, it strengthens the forces of law and order in dealing with serious villains, and it should greatly reduce the £8.5 billion a year losses suffered by British industry as a result of intellectual property theft," said Cable.
Lavinia Carey, Chair of the Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy (an umbrella industry group representing games developers, the music business and software publishers), said the Bill was an important step in reforming copyright and trade mark law.
"We are now in discussion with the Government about how to improve resources for enforcement to protect industry and consumers from this pernicious crime [IP theft]." ®
Many of you have asked for clarification as to WHAT we allow, and many have debated WHY we allow or disallow it.
The first part of this post explains what we understand the law to say, and WHY we take the stance we do.
The second part explains what you can, and cannot, discuss on these forums. At the very least - read the second half. Your account is at risk if you ignore what it says - and ignorance of this post will NOT be accepted an excuse.
Would all members please note that the law on Copyright specifically protects the creator of an original work from having their work copied without permission. Breaking this law can have both civil and criminal implications, and not only puts the person breaking the law at risk, but potentially OcUK as well. For this reason, it will not be tolerated on these forums.
So what is covered?
Under UK law (and any country covered by the Berne Convention) any artist, photographer, composer, writer, musician (et al) creating an original work is AUTOMATICALLY protected by copyright. The creator does NOT have to do ANYTHING to get that protection. The work does not have to be registered, and it does not have to carry a Copyright notice.
So this will SPECIFICALLY include photographs, magazine articles, articles on webistes and - and please note the emphasis, Audio CD's, Computer Software and Movies
Unless your use of protected material is either with the express written permission of the copyright holder, or falls into one of the very limited statutory exemptions, then copying it is breaking the law - and discussing how to do it here is not allowed.
There are some things you ARE allowed to do. These include :
Time-shifting. This allows you to record broadcast transmissions for watching a reasonable time later. It means temporary recording for viewing with a short period and does not permit long-term archiving, like a movie to DivX on CD-R.
Creating a necessary backup copy, for your own use, of computer software to which you have a legitimate licence. This means you can protect yourself, but does NOT mean you can make a copy of a game to give a mate, or copy his games. This statutory permission does NOT apply to audio CD's, DVD's, etc.
other permitted uses, like quoting for academic purposes, provided you follow the necessary conditions, like giving due credit.
copying where the copyright has expired. But the term of copyright varies, and is likely to be 50 years or more from the date of creation. Also note that for classical music, for instance, not only would copyright exist (and probably have expired) on the original music, but that each recording will be protected as well. So you may be able to perform Beethoven's 5th and record it yourself, but you cannot pirate the latest Decca recording of it.
So please
NO threads discussing copying or creating MP3's of the latest pop album release, etc
NO discussion of downloading movies for the purpose of DivX or MPEG'ing. If you want to discuss putting your OWN movie footage on CD-R/DVD recordable, then fine - but NOT copyright material.
NO discussion of downloading pirate software or copying CD's unless you are simply backing up software you own for your own purposes.
NO discussion of movies or tv shows that haven't been released in the UK, if it hasn't been shown in a UK cinema or on a UK tv station, no discussion is allowed.
NO pirating, or discussions about pirating, of other copyright material from the web, including warez. This includes using the board to post broad hints and "email me"-type remarks.
Please be aware that we have no wish to spoil anyone's fun, or sound holier than thou, but what you discuss here can have legal implications for OcUK and has the potential to get forums like OcUK SHUT DOWN if we do not takes steps to prevent it.
So not only are such activities banned, but :-
we take such threads seriously
no amount of nudge, nudge or winking smileys will save your account if you breach these rules.
No heads up threads are allowed, as these tend to clutter up the forum.
It is NOT a laughing matter, and will quite possibly result in anyone contravening this losing their account here permanently.
Tougher penalties for UK copyright thieves
By John Leyden
Posted: 30/07/2002 at 11:19 GMT
A Bill which increases the maximum penalty for copyright theft in the UK from two years to 10 years has become law.
The Private Member's Bill, introduced by Liberal Democrat MP Dr Vincent Cable, also gives the authorities increased provision to obtain search warrants and powers to seize goods.
The Copyright etc and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Bill passed smoothly through both houses of Parliament before receiving Royal Assent last Friday. It will be in force in the Autumn.
The main provisions of the Copyright etc and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Bill are:
Increase the penalties for copyright offences from two years to 10 years. This matches the penalty for trade mark law and also conspiracy to defraud. This rise in the penalty will be sought for cases where copyright holders suffer serious damage. The new penalty will also apply to the production of unauthorised decoders.
Strengthen search warrant powers for police officers to make it easier to expose counterfeiting so warrants can now be obtained for all copyright offences, including possession and sale of infringing articles/bootlegs.
Amend the current law on forfeiture, "which is a disorganised mixture of civil and criminal provisions". The new legislation will replace this and give all copyright investigations the same rights of service and forfeiture found within trade mark legislation.
Dr Vince Cable, MP for Twickenham and Liberal Democrat shadow Trade and Industry Spokesman, expressed delight that his bill had successfully passed through Parliament. The bill gives many creative industries "effective legal remedies" to fight against counterfeiting and piracy they previously lacked, he added.
"I see the bill as a triple hit - it protects consumers, it strengthens the forces of law and order in dealing with serious villains, and it should greatly reduce the £8.5 billion a year losses suffered by British industry as a result of intellectual property theft," said Cable.
Lavinia Carey, Chair of the Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy (an umbrella industry group representing games developers, the music business and software publishers), said the Bill was an important step in reforming copyright and trade mark law.
"We are now in discussion with the Government about how to improve resources for enforcement to protect industry and consumers from this pernicious crime [IP theft]." ®