Limo Companies Warned About On-Board DVDs
Posted by | Posted in Limo hire | Posted on 02-09-2009
Limo hire companies who screen on-board DVDs have been warned to make sure they have an official license. In order to try and cut down on illegal film piracy, the Federation Against Copyright Theft are cracking down on limo companies who are screening movies illegally. Those who do not have a license could face a £5,000 fine or up to six months in prison if they are caught.
Limo’s which feature DVD players as well as bars and other fancy gadgets are becoming more and more popular. Passengers tend to demand more services these days and a DVD player is something that they have come to expect. However, this new warning is causing confusion among many limo hire companies. There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding the guidelines for showing copyrighted films. Many limo drivers are unsure what the current guidelines actually are. For that reason a statement has been issued by MPLC, an independent copyright license service. It states:
“Home Videos and DVDs are intended for private, domestic use only. When shown on-board a limousine, or anywhere outside ones home, this qualifies as “public performance” under the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988 (Section 19).”
Now that this warning has been issued, limo drivers will have to be a lot stricter with their on-board DVD showings. The £5,000 fine and possible six month prison sentence will certainly be enough to deter any illegal DVD showings in the future!