Legal Definitions - antibootleg statute

Antibootleg Statute

An antibootleg statute is a law that makes it illegal to create, distribute, or sell unauthorized recordings of live performances. These laws are designed to protect the rights of performers and creators by ensuring they have control over how their live work is captured and shared with the public, preventing others from profiting from or disseminating their performances without permission.

• Example 1: Unauthorized Concert Recording

  Imagine a famous rock band performing a live concert. An audience member uses a hidden camera to record the entire show without permission. Afterward, this individual attempts to sell copies of this recording to other fans outside the venue and later online. An antibootleg statute would make these actions illegal because the individual made an unauthorized recording of a live performance and then distributed and sold it without the band's consent, infringing on the band's control over their artistic work.

• Example 2: Distributing a Comedy Special

  Consider a popular stand-up comedian performing a new routine at a club, intending to release it as an official streaming special later. An audience member secretly records the entire performance on their phone and then uploads the full video to a public video-sharing website for free viewing. Even though no money was exchanged, this act of uploading and sharing an unauthorized recording of a live performance would be prohibited by an antibootleg statute. The law protects the comedian's right to control the distribution of their material and how it is presented to their audience.