Using Copyrighted music in course work

[mattstevenson2005]

Hi Everyone

I have a bunch of IT teachers asking me if i can allow students to copy music on to the school network for use in their IT courcework. I currently block audio and video file with file server manager in server 2003 R2 as i understand it to be illegal. I have looked on google and everything i read says that it is illegal for the use of copyrighted music e.g. music by comerical artists (n dubz, lady gaga etc..) in schools with out permission. Is this right or are we allowed to have music on the network for in school use e.g. coursework?

Thanks

Matt

[somabc]

You will almost certainly need some sort of Licence.

[mossj]

When i was at uni we were not to download music/videos/pictures without permission for use in work... without permission, would assume same applies.

[MGSTech]

Our LEA buy a licence for all Kent schools so we are covered, However, the IB Exam authority have just returned coursework for including copyrighted material, so I wouldn't use it if I were you!

Steve

[Heebeejeebee]

I'm getting the same type of requests (again). It goes along the lines of: Why can't they rip their CDs... bla bla bla ... why do you block downloads and stop torrents ... bla bla bla ... who's going to find out ... bla bla bla ... you're affecting yhe teaching and learning of the students ... bla bla bla.

One word reply. Tough.

If they found some copyright free and legal music then that would be ok but they just want an excuse to let them rip any and all music to their home folders.

HBJB

[DrPerceptron]

I seems to remember that there is some good stuff on Audio Network security if you look for it...

could've been a different site (it was only available on gfl connections though...)

[nephilim]

We had the same thing at our place. I held a staff meeting and tore the staff to shreads, saying that it only takes a phone call for them to face fines, prison sentances etc. That soon shut them up.

[Diello]

Our LEA buy a licence for all Kent schools so we are covered, However, the IB Exam authority have just returned coursework for including copyrighted material, so I wouldn't use it if I were you!

Steve

Have you got a KentTrustWeb link or something to information on this Steve? We weren't aware KCC has such a license?!!

[enjay]

I remember our Music Teacher saying that their exam board had negotiated a special copyright licence which allowed our students to send copyrighted material along with their A-Level dissertations. This would logically suggest that use of copyrighted matieral without such agreement is illegal.

That said, if I ran scripts across our servers automatically deleting any and all music and audio files, the teachers would (quite rightly) skin me alive, as there are plenty of ways that legit media files can exist on the network.

[gibboap]

when i first started there was no media units and searchs on the server for mp3s and mpgs avis etc were painless, now there are multimedia units etc and this is legit, but when i see copy righted music its gone....zap

the teachers moan about my mp3 player being connected to the stereo etc, i just say if ppl come in i have to unplug it simple, if its on there server (in work areas) then its on 2 weeks worth of backups and spread all over the server....not simple....we be screwed!

`

[Fridge]

when i first started there was no media units and searchs on the server for mp3s and mpgs avis etc were painless, now there are multimedia units etc and this is legit, but when i see copy righted music its gone....zap

the teachers moan about my mp3 player being connected to the stereo etc, i just say if ppl come in i have to unplug it simple, if its on there server (in work areas) then its on 2 weeks worth of backups and spread all over the server....not simple....we be screwed!

`

You want to be careful playing it out of speakers it can be considered illegal because you don't have a license to public broadcast.

[jamesb]

If they found some copyright free and legal music then that would be ok but they just want an excuse to let them rip any and all music to their home folders.

www.jamendo.com

[Domino]

Our LEA buy a licence for all Kent schools so we are covered, However, the IB Exam authority have just returned coursework for including copyrighted material, so I wouldn't use it if I were you!

Steve

There's no such thing as a licence to use copyrighted material

There are various educational PRS, CPL and MCPS licences that allow certain fair usage exceptions, but the various licences cover different performances/events/products and can get quite indepth.

For coursework use you'd usually need a MCPS licence I imagine - which requires a per use payment and forms filled out and sent to the organisation.

CEFM: Licensing - PRS for Music: Schools has some good links and is a pretty decent introduction, even if it is based around the PRS licences, but the MCPS-PRS alliance have more in depth docs Welcome to PRS for Music

Basically, for coursework they want to be using Creative commons licensed music, its not worth the agro otherwise.

However there should be someone in your LEA who has copyright law knowledge to help you work through your options

[ChrisP]

We have just recently had clickview present to us, and my impression was that with a ERA licence you can use (onsite) any Free to Air transmition recieved in the UK as long as it is un-edited.

So why not record radio1 for the day and chop all the songs up from the playlist, then in theroy you would be legal.

It is also my understanding (maybe wrongly) that you would require a ERA Plus licence to broadcast said content outside of the school perimiter.


From their website http://www.era.org.uk

In general, what can be recorded?

The ERA scheme permits recordings of broadcasts to be made for non-commercial educational use. A 'broadcast' is defined as a transmission for simultaneous and lawful reception by members of the public i.e. it is not encrypted or encoded and is for general reception, unlike pay per view services. The ERA Licence therefore covers scheduled free to air broadcasts on:
BBC television and radio
ITV Network services (including ITV2 and ITV3)
Channel Four, E4, More 4 and Film 4
Five Television
S4C

It also applies to any other licensed broadcast services. These cover both radio and television services.

Discuss

[gibboap]

You want to be careful playing it out of speakers it can be considered illegal because you don't have a license to public broadcast.

haha we have lol

i actually spent half hour on the phone finding this out a few months ago....for different reasons (the school did a 'we will rock you' performance, i had just installed a 42" screen in reception and thought it would be a good idea to play some queen and have some pix scrolling through.....wanted a queen dvd on but didnt have time download.....buy one)