Reading a book out loud over private Internet voice chat.

[MelodicaVagrant]

I'm from Alabama. Do I break any law if I read a book, in part or in full, to a friend of mine over Discord voice chat?

 

[quincy]

No. You can read a book to a friend.

Recording the reading could violate the author's rights and reading aloud to a group could violate the author's rights.

 

[MelodicaVagrant]

How big is a group? 2+? Also, citation? Thanks for replying.

 

[quincy]

https://www.copyright.gov

See 17 USC section 101, public performance.

A copyright holder has an exclusive right to perform a work. It is one of several exclusive rights granted the holder of a copyright.

The Copyright Act says that "to perform a work means to recite, render, play, dance, or act it, either directly or by means of any device or process or, in the case of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, to show its images in any sequence or to make the sounds accompanying it audible."

 

[adjusterjack]

How big is a group? 2+?

You may be OK, especially if it's for discussion/educational purposes, like a book review club or some such.

 

[MelodicaVagrant]

Thank

https://www.copyright.gov

See 17 USC section 101, public performance.

A copyright holder has an exclusive right to perform a work. It is one of several exclusive rights granted the holder of a copyright.

The Copyright Act says that "to perform a work means to recite, render, play, dance, or act it, either directly or by means of any device or process or, in the case of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, to show its images in any sequence or to make the sounds accompanying it audible."

So is reading privately not equivalent to a performance?

 

[quincy]

Unless the public gathers for your reading, there is no copyright violation if you read a story aloud to a friend.

An example of a public performance is reading aloud to a group at a book store.

 

[MelodicaVagrant]

Ok. Thank you.

 

[quincy]

Ok. Thank you.

You're welcome, MelodicaVagrant. Thanks for the thanks.