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Is My Child's Music Legal? |
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Is my child’s music collection on the computer legal?
If it’s not paid for then chances are it’s not. Any track or album downloaded or shared without the permission of the copyright owner is an infringement of the Copyright Act 1994 and therefore illegal.
If the music collection consists of paid downloads from any of the online music stores (iTunes, Digirama, Amplifier, RipIt, TextTunes, Telecom or Vodafone) then the music will be virus free and legal.
If you’ve ripped your music from CDs which you bought legally and still own, then although technically under the existing Copyright Act 1994 this is an infringement and therefore illegal, the recording industry has not prosecuted an individual for this. If you are using the collection to burn off copies for others then this is different. Last year a man was jailed for 9 months, fined and had his computers confiscated for selling burnt CDs!
To find out if you have filesharing software or shared files open on your computer and want to remove/secure them use Digital File Check a simple program to install that will search your computer and let you choose what you want to do with each file found. If you discover your computer has a music collection sourced through illegal means, remove the filesharing software and the stolen tracks, explain why, direct them to this site and the legal ways you can buy music. If the excuse is that you need a credit card to buy them then either purchase the tracks on their behalf or get vouchers from Digirama or JB Hifi for iTunes – they make ideal gifts and remove the excuse! Online music stores are finding new ways to sell to consumers who do not have a credit card or do not wish to pay by credit card. Keep a look out on the site for news of new schemes.
For more information and advice see Childnet International's "Young People, Music & The Internet - A guide for parents and teachers about digital music at home, at school and on the go."guide. |
