# Copyright question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 23, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-question/469253 "2008-10-23T20:21:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-question/469253/1 "2008-10-23T20:21:54Z")
I know that under copyright laws I am allowed to ‘back up’ my purchased recordings for my personal use. So if I have an LP, I can record it to tape or to a digital file. So far, so good. But what if I purchased a record or tape and I want to ‘back it up’ onto a digital file? Obviously I could buy the equipment to do it, or else hire someone to do it. But suppose I could borrow a CD of the recording that I have already legitimately bought? Since I have ‘the album’, can I legally copy the music from a CD? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-question/469253/2 "2008-10-23T20:45:45Z")
There isn’t much express law on this specific point, but very generally speaking, you can’t make a backup copy from an item that doesn’t belong to you. You can make a backup from your own LP but not from someone else’s CD.