Government announces new copyright exceptions

The Government announced on 13 May 2006 that it would introduce "sweeping" changes to the Copyright Act. The amendments would allow:

• copying music, newspapers and books  from ‘personal collections’ onto iPods and mp3 players
• recording of tv and radio programs to ‘time-shift’
• ‘schools, universities and libraries and other cultural institutions will … be free to use copyright material for non-commercial purposes’

According to the report, the amendments would also:

• increase surveillance, fines and damages for internet piracy
• remove the 1% cap on the royalties paid by broadcasters to record companies.
  

For the Government's media release, click here.

The Government's response to the Digital Agenda Review (referred to in the 14 May media release) is available, under the heading 'Reports', from here.

For our information sheet on the proposals, click here.

For the Government's issues paper on fair use, click here.