The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is now claiming that ripping CDs to your computer for use on your iPod, Zen Vision, or any other digital music player is NOT fair use; in fact, the copying of their music in any shape or fashion isn’t fair use, according to a recent statement, publicised by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

It’s bad enough that the RIAA sued when the first round of digital music players came out on the market, claiming that the ability to copy music and take it everywhere would bankrupt them (the same argument they used when the Walkman came out) but now they’re trying to re-write what is and isn’t fair use by defining it themselves rather than letting the law speak for itself. The RIAA is of the opinion that even after you’ve purchased music or media that they still retain rights to not just the content but the property and physical media, as well as the methods that you use to consume said music or media. What does this mean for you? Well, for starters, forget your iPod-the RIAA says you can’t use it unless you redownload your music from an online music store. Just wait-after that they’ll try to tell you that you don’t own that either.

The EFF blogged the whole story, check it out:

[ EFF :: RIAA Says Rippding CDs to Your iPod is NOT Fair Use ]