Is it moral to rip and sell DVDs?

Moireach

As far as I can see, it is perfectly legal to rip your DVDs onto your hard drive for personal use, and legal to then sell that DVD on second hand (unless anyone knows something I don't?). But is it moral to do this?

Angry_Bear

Moireach wrote: »

As far as I can see, it is perfectly legal to rip your DVDs onto your hard drive for personal use,

I don't think that's quite true.

and legal to then sell that DVD on second hand (unless anyone knows something I don't?).

I'm pretty sure that's not true.

But is it moral to do this?

No (IMO). You've technically stolen it.

See here: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/31/uk-copyright-tweak-legally-rip-cds-ipod
Specifically:

Under the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, it is not in fact legal to transform a piece of copyrighted content from one storage form to another - so turning a CD, which is encoded in one method, into a file formatted as MP3 or Windows Media Audio or AAC and storing it on a computer hard drive or digital music player is, strictly, against the law.

and

If you give away or sell a CD that you have backed up, you'll have to destroy the backup copy to stay within the law, the guidance notes.

ben_m_g

Oh course its not moral and no it's not legal.

You are intentionally breaking copyright law.

adhara

It is legal to rip for personal use, and legal to sell the DVD, but it's actually illegal to keep the ripped copy as your sole copy.

You're allowed to make as many copies as you like, but the moment you do not have a legal copy of the DVD (the physical version in this case), it turns all personal copies illegal.

EDIT: If there's a DRM on the DVD, then yes, making a copy is illegal, but if there isn't, then you are within your rights to make a digital backup (provided you destroy the backup when you sell on).

Morally, it depends on intent. Keeping a spare copy, selling the DVD months later and forgetting you have a copy? Not bad. Deliberately buying DVDs, ripping them and then selling them? Bad morals.

Moireach

Angry_Bear wrote: »

I don't think that's quite true.

I'm pretty sure that's not true.
No (IMO). You've technically stolen it.

See here: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/31/uk-copyright-tweak-legally-rip-cds-ipod
Specifically:

and

The Guardian report doesn't seem to be wholly accurate about DVDs, I googled it and all the headlines I found said it was legal to rip DVDs as well as CDs for personal use.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10733913/UK-government-to-legalise-DVD-and-CD-ripping.html

And I think it's accepted that it was a dead letter anyway as far as ripping for personal use was concerned, this makes no difference to the stakeholders in the DVD.

Thanks for bringing that clause to my attention though, I hadn't heard of that before.

somethingcorporate

Moireach wrote: »

The Guardian report doesn't seem to be wholly accurate about DVDs, I googled it and all the headlines I found said it was legal to rip DVDs as well as CDs for personal use.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/yorkshire-living/leisure-fashion/gadgets-tech/how-to-rip-your-dvds-legally-to-your-pc-or-ipad-1-6728349

And I think it's accepted that it was a dead letter anyway as far as ripping for personal use was concerned, this makes no difference to the stakeholders in the DVD.

Thanks for bringing that clause to my attention though, I hadn't heard of that before.

The article you link to doesn't say anything about it then being legal to sell on the original media only that if you own the original media that you can make digital copies.

almillar

As others have said, as well as having the physical disc to play, and the new allowance that lets you rip it, the ownership of the disc is also the ownership of the right to play the film - for personal use - you can't play it in a pub or anything. Once you sell the disc, you should be, morally and legally, deleting any copies you have. How can you think it's moral?!

Moireach

somethingcorporate wrote: »

The article you link to doesn't say anything about it then being legal to sell on the original media only that if you own the original media that you can make digital copies.

Sorry I linked the wrong article. The article is an example of one which says the law does allow the ripping of DVDs. I wasn't referring to the selling on part.

Moireach

almillar wrote: »

As others have said, as well as having the physical disc to play, and the new allowance that lets you rip it, the ownership of the disc is also the ownership of the right to play the film - for personal use - you can't play it in a pub or anything. Once you sell the disc, you should be, morally and legally, deleting any copies you have. How can you think it's moral?!

If you read my comments I didn't say it was. It was a question.

RuthnJasper

DVD/CD piracy is stealing. Wrong and immoral.

bsms1147

I'm not sure, but it would appear that ripping a DVD is now legal as of the start of this month;

The Copyright and Rights in Performances (Personal Copies for Private Use) Regulations 2014
Coming into force: 1st October 2014
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/2361

Selling the original DVD and keeping the copy is at best morally wrong, but I couldn't find what the law on it is.