Copyright

Some of you who know me would know that I am a bit of a pedantess (okay, so I have just brought the word out of obsoletion!!!) in relation to the legal issues of copying. "It's not pedantry, but merely a desire for accuracy." as Roy Cropper says in an episode of Coronation Street. Accuracy and legality.

Anyway. There was a time when one (that's me) could find very little if one (me again!) did a Google search to do with the legality of taping a television show or downloading an mp3. But things have changed.

Prompted by an article on Behind The News called Copyright Case I decided to try to find out where I stood regarding my cd collection and my newly acquired iPod. I was pleased to find some very helpful information.
If you want to know (you should, believe me) about space shifting, time shifting or format shifting click here.

There's a whole pile of information regarding Australian Copyright laws. The article I found most helpful to my quest was Music:Copying MP3s CDs and audio-cassettes on the Australian Copyright Council page about music and performing arts. In fact, all the articles there are very informative, although you may wish to remain blissfully ignorant.

So I'm telling you all this because...?

Well, I just wanted you to know where I stand. If you notice a hesitance when you suggest that I tape a tv program it is because I only just found out that it has only just become legal to do so for a one-off viewing session at a more convenient time. If you get a CD for Christmas it might be because I would rather not steal from a musician in my what's-mine-is-yours generosity! You get the picture.

An analogy from the world of scrapbooking to finish my little sermon.

Just say I created a lovely scrapbook page and shared it on my blog. Then you were totally inspired and copied it (or totally not inspired, so that is why you copied it). And then... you submitted this lovely copied layout to a magazine without any reference to the original creator (me) and it was accepted and published and you were paid a huge sum of money ($25 maybe) for it. And then, let's say, that you just kept doing that (and I am oblivious to it) and people really like what 'you' do and they copy 'your' work. And you make prints and sell pretty cards, and on and on it goes.

Do you see what I am getting at?!?!?!