| Well, near as I can figure out, you bought it so that YOU could listen to it, your friends and family could listen to it (as long as it was 'gathered round' your own stereo or some other PRIVATE place), but that's about it. You could not play it to earn money from the playing of it; I wouldn't wonder but that you could even be arrested for playing it "in a public place" where any money was being exchanged (else you could get nicked for "public performance"). If you were cruising 'round the town with the top down and the stereo cranked up you might even be in violation of some kind of law other than violating noise bylaws or "being a public nuisance".
Yep... like I said... there's a whole industry involved in nothing but the "administration and enforcement" of copyright and performance right laws. THAT is what's sucking a lot of the profits out of the music industry.
Does the above sound silly? You bet it does. But then... so does the whole copyright and performance right issue! I'll note here that in Canada we have a special tax levied on all sales of blank tape cassettes, mini discs, floppy discs, video cassettes, recordable cds. What for? Why... to compensate the music industry for anticipated copying!!!!
"Gee, Mom... does this mean it's OK to download and burn copies?"
"Probably, dear. That's why the recording industry is now trying to sue the "uploaders" who make the files available in the first place."
A real rat's next of rules trying to adjust to the reality of the internet and digital media...... |