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A public performance would be in violation of civil law rather than criminal law. But if you're being pedantic you could argue that, yes, it was technically ill
by underwater 6y ago
A public performance would be in violation of civil law rather than criminal law. But if you're being pedantic you could argue that, yes, it was technically illegal.
- greyface- 6y agoGood thing, too -- if it were a criminal matter, we'd have to rely on them prosecuting themselves.
- Hnrobert42 6y agoI am not being pedantic. I don’t understand your position. It seems you are saying that the police officer is violating copyright by playing music in a public space. Whether or not ASCAP would come after me or not, is it really true that in the US I cannot play music aloud on public property?
- kube-system 6y agoPublic performance is an exclusive right of the copyright holder as per the Berne Convention, which is signed by 179 countries. https://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/11.html https://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/11.html https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention Enforcement varies.
- Hnrobert42 6y agoI couldn’t find a clear definition of “public performance”. Everything I found related to a bar playing a song or a cover artist playing a song for money.
- underwater 6y agoYou'd have to talk to a laywer. I believe it is OK as long as you're playing it for friends and family. If you're broadcasting it electronically, like radio, it's OK as long as you have a blanket broadcast license. Given the cop specifically asked and confirmed that there were people listening, he probably should have had a license.