Cable to make copyright reforms for ‘modern digital world’
Vince Cable is expected to change copyright legislation which would make music and film sharing easier.
Currently in the UK, it is illegal to transfer music, videos and films from a personal library onto an iPad or similar device, as it is transferring the data into a different format.
News about the changes came from Channel 4 News, who saw a copy of his announcement.
The move will allow companies such as Google and Amazon to develop online content storage systems for UK consumers, allowing them to create back-up files of music and film libraries in an internet ‘cloud’, so they can be retrieved even if their own computer or MP3 player is stolen or lost.
It is also predicted that burning copies of purchased content for other family members to use will be made legal, although sharing files of copyrighted material over the internet is expected to remain illegal.
Cable said: “We are determined to explore how exceptions to copyright can benefit the UK economy and support growth.
“Private copying is carried out by millions of people, and many are astonished that it is illegal in this country.
“We need to bring copyright into line with people's expectations and update it for the modern digital world. This will free up innovative British businesses to develop new consumer technology and help boost economic growth.”
Shireen Peermohamed, partner in the intellectual property practice at Harbottle & Lewis, said: "The devil is likely to be in the detail of what Mr Cable says, and the timetable he proposes for any changes to be brought in. If reports are to be believed, he will for example be backing the introduction of a format shifting right to allow the copying of CDs onto other devices such as iPods. Whilst this proposal is likely to grab headlines and comments from consumers and industry alike, it remains to be seen whether it will be implemented; after all, it was something that the previous government said that it would introduce in 2006 but did not manage to do so."