Millions of iPod fans breaking law by copying CDs

By Harry Wallop, Consumer Affairs Editor Published: 7:00AM GMT twenty-four February 2010

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So-called "format shifting" is bootleg underneath British copyright law. If a consumer has paid for the CD they are violation the law if they "shift" the calm onto an additional device, even if they are the usually one to attend to the music.

Consumer Focus, the Government-backed watchdog, has called for the law to be changed. It has surveyed 2,000 adults and found seventeen per cent did not realize that duplicating CDs onto their computer or iPod was illegal.

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According to Ofcom, 41 per cent of the adult population, equating to eighteen million people, own an MP3 digital song player, such as an iPod. On tip of this, there are at slightest five million who own mobile phones that have a song player incorporated.

Consumer Focus certified that not a singular chairman has been prosecuted for format alternate but it argued that the law had to be altered if the song industry longed for consumers to take the concerns over robbery seriously.

Under the Digital Economy Bill, still being debated, there are plans to crack down some-more exceedingly on those who jot down share.

Jill Johnstone, International Director, Consumer Focus said: "The credit of UK copyright law has depressed by the floor. Millions of consumers are continually duplicating CDs or DVDs and are unknowingly they are breaching copyright law.

"The universe has changed on and remodel of copyright law is inevitable, but the not going to refurbish itself. If the Government wants consumers to apply oneself copyright law they have to stop sitting on their hands and move the law in line with the genuine world."

The song industry hinted that it would similar to to see the law shift so that song fans were not criminalised.

A orator for the BPI, the jot down industry traffic body, said: "We determine that the format alternate of legitimately purchased CDs should not leave consumers in a authorised quandary.

"In practice, we have never taken any movement opposite consumers who slice CDs to computers or unstable song players. Nonetheless, we do hold it would be improved for personal CD ripping to be authorised and the industry has done proposals to Government to grasp that."