Copyright Laws on Giving Copies of a CD Away
Copyright law protects creative works, including music, and does not allow a person to make unauthorized copies and give them away.
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Copyright Law
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When music is copyrighted, the creator has exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute and perform it.
CD Burners
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CD burners allow users to make copies of CDs without paying for them. Two copyrights are being violated here---the sound recording, which is protected for 50 years from the year of recording, and the underlying composition, protected by copyright until 70 years after the creator's death.
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Copying CDs
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Making a copy of a CD is permissible if the original CD is legitimately purchased and if you make the copy only for your personal use.
Giving CDs Away
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Giving copied CDs away violates copyright law. Even if you receive no money for the copy, or only lend it temporarily, such use of a copied CD is considered commercial. Commercial use of copied CDs is copyright infringement because required royalties due the creator go unpaid.
Penalties
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If you copy and give away music illegally, there are both criminal and civil penalties. The criminal penalties, even for first-time violators, can be as high as five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If you are sued, the minimum civil penalty is $750 per copied song, but costs can rise to many thousands of dollars in damages and legal fees.
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References
- Photo Credit 5 cds image by Stephen Kirkby from Fotolia.com
