4 ms·
If someone (e.g. that secretary) listens to an audiobook and transcribes it on a typewriter or in shorthand, then that's quite clearly creating a copy of the pr
by PeterisP 7y ago
If someone (e.g. that secretary) listens to an audiobook and transcribes it on a typewriter or in shorthand, then that's quite clearly creating a copy of the protected work on a durable medium, which is exactly the thing for which copyright law states that this is the exlusive right of the copyright owner. It's not even an edge case, it's the core of that law - the result of a person transcribing the (audio)book is either a copy or a derivative work, both of which require the copyright owner's permission.
In certain cases fair use or other exceptions (depending on jurisdiction) might permit the transcribing itself for personal use, but distributing that transcript to others is definitely a violation.
- kwhitefoot 7y agoSo if I make a copy in my own hand for my wife to read that is also a violation?
- PeterisP 7y agoWell, it's obviously very unlikely to be prosecuted, so the practical answer is that noone would care. There are also some provisions for e.g. backups or accessibility (which vary between jurisdiction as these details aren't a part of the worldwide copyright conventions) that might apply in certain situations that stretch the scenario of "for my wife to read" a bit. But yes, if you had a book and made a handwritten copy so that you could have your wife read it while (for example) you read the original, then the legal answer is that you're technically prohibited to do that without explicit permission from the copyright owner; and if the copyright owner finds out and really cares, they could succeed in suing you for that action.