Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (c. 48)

Part VII U.K. Miscellaneous and General

[F1 Computer programs] U.K.

Textual Amendments

F1 Cross heading and s. 296A inserted (1.1.1993) by S.I. 1992/3233, reg.11

F2 296A Avoidance of certain terms. U.K.

(1) Where a person has the use of a computer program under an agreement, any term or condition in the agreement shall be void in so far as it purports to prohibit or restrict—

(a) the making of any back up copy of the program which it is necessary for him to have for the purposes of the agreed use;

(b) where the conditions in section 50B(2) are met, the decompiling of the program; or

(c) the use of any device or means to observe, study or test the functioning of the program in order to understand the ideas and principles which underlie any element of the program.

(2) In this section, decompile, in relation to a computer program, has the same meaning as in section 50B

Textual Amendments

F2 S. 296A inserted (1.1.1993) by S.I. 1992/3233, reg.11.