Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Intellectual Property Law Blogs -> IPKat

Intellectual Property Law

: IPKat

Childnet's copyright advice for the kiddies

By Johanna Gibson, David Pearce, Jeremy Phillips and Ilanah Simon.

The IPKat's attention has been drawn to this leaflet, "Young People, Music and the Internet". Subtitled "A guide for parents and teachers about digital music at home, at school and on the go", it has been prepared by Childnet International, a registered charity which has the aim of making the internet a safer place for children.

On copyright it has this to say:

"Copyright can seem confusing, but it applies to digital music just as much as it does the physical CD. Copyright rules protect the artist and creator and allow them to be rewarded for their work. Some people are happy for you to copy or use their work for free, but most artists and musicians rely on copyright law to guarantee an income.
Copying music you?ve bought to your computer or player is a common activity which can generally be done without legal consequences. However distributing a song to others without the permission of the rights holders is a very different story.

Unauthorised copying and distribution of copyrighted music is breaking the law, and that includes file-swapping of any copyrighted music on the best-known P2P networks such as Limewire. The recording industry has taken action against many people who have done this, with some large fines resulting.

Parents and carers can be held responsible for what happens on the family computer even if they are not themselves engaged in illegal activity".

The guide later adds:

"There are scores of legal music retailers on the Web and these sites are safe and guarantee sound quality. They offer millions of songs of all genres and periods online. There is a wide variety of ways to discover and buy music online; you can, for example, download individual songs or albums, stream music through an online radio or listen to a huge library of tracks on your computer or music player for a monthly subscription.

For links to over 500 legal music retailers worldwide, go to www.pro-music.org/musiconline.htm and find a service that operates in your country".

The IPKat is fascinated. Here we have two protected species -- children and copyright owners -- and a point at which it is possible to protect the one by protecting the other. In a few short years, however, the children will have become rebellious techno-savvy teenagers and copyright-protected works will be their favourite diet. Merpel says, I'm fascinated too, about the way that advice about the law, which varies from country to country, is generalised into the advice contained in this publication. Incidentally, none of the Kats noticed a disclaimer ...

Full post as published by IPKat on May 11, 2008 (boomark / email).