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Re: BBC Amnesty ?

Messages in this topic: 7 View All
kj.naughtonOct 10, 2012
 

 
Hi folks,

Sites are being closed down under copyright and related laws, not because of anything to do with the TV licence. The two are separate.

As we were originally discussing the BBC "Amnesty" I assume the use of the word "amnesty" is meant to say that if you being recordings in that may have been taken illegally then you won't be pursued for that.

Even taking into consideration that there have been at least three UK Copyright Acts since the 1950s and multiple amendments to them, it's fairly clear that recordings taken for one's own personal use or for personal study have been lawfully taken throughout the period. No amnesty is necessary.

If, however and for example, one has bought CDs of MP3s on one or other famous auction site - and they were freely available several years ago - then those recordings are likely not to be lawful, or at least not lawfully acquired. Similarly for people who may have worked for the BBC and have reels of tape in the loft that probably technically still belong to the BBC (and could be considered "stolen").

In these case an "amnesty" may encourage people to take them along to the BBC.

So let's not take too much umbrage at the use of the word "amnesty". It may not apply to most but it will to some. And if that encourages lost programmes to be rediscovered then that's a good thing.

Just a thought...

Cheers

Kevin

--- In just-a-minute@..., Wayne Styles <wayne.styles@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Don and all
> Looks like one of those topics that has no clear opinion. Yep, it was from the same site. Maybe they do wish things were the law, but they do say "The law states", so I am now at a loss. What does worry me is the way the powers that be can make threats and close sites down, if the laws are draconian and do not relate to new technologies.
> Wayne

 
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