16. Is it okay to change the format of something? Can I translate something?
Changing the format of a work – known as format shifting – can be an infringement of copyright.
On 1 October 2014, a private copying exception for format shifting was introduced into UK law to allow people to make copies on different media for their own use. However, following a judicial review filed against the UK government, on 17 July 2015 the High Court quashed the regulations introducing the exception. As a result, the private copying exception is no longer part of UK copyright law. You can find out more information about the private copying exception here.
In terms of a translation, UK law states that it is an infringement to adapt a work without permission, which includes a translation.
See: Section 21(3)(a)(i) Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
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Most of the original content on the Copyright User’s website is distributed under a CC-BY 3.0 licence, meaning that you can share, remix, alter, and build upon Copyright User content for any purpose, as long as you credit the author of the content. Where content on Copyright User is not distributed under a CC-BY 3.0 licence, this will be indicated clearly.