No Laws to Prohibit Direct-Selling Video Discs From Rental.

A portion of the videodiscs sold on the market is split into direct-selling version and rental version. On the direct-selling version of videodiscs is printed “Rental Prohibition”. In response to this, Intellectual Property Office of Ministry of Economic Affairs indicated that consumers who have purchased the direct-selling version may still rent out the discs and would not infringe the copyright.

According to the regulation of The Copyright Law, owners of original works or legal reproductions other than recording and computer programs may rent out or reproduce the pieces without obtaining authorization from the copyright owners. Therefore, if the “direct-selling” videodiscs are to be circulated and traded on the market, even restrictive words “Rental Prohibition” are printed on the reproductions of videodiscs, consumers or rental dealers who purchase the videodiscs may, based on the use of their property rights, still rent out their purchased videodiscs and would not infringe the copyright. (2004.06)

CYJ/CHT