Private copying still generates steady and significant income for music creators, even as digital technology changes how people access music, according to a recent study by CISAC, the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers, in partnership with music rights organizations BIEM, IFRRO, and Stichting de Thuiskopie.
The 2026 edition of the Private Copying Global Study provides a comprehensive analysis of private copying laws and remuneration frameworks worldwide, examining legal provisions, collection and distribution mechanisms, levy rates, and revenues derived from private copying, across 196 countries.
Private copying remuneration compensates songwriters, composers, and music publishers when people make personal copies of their music (and other creative works) on everyday digital devices, like smartphones and computers. However, in Canada, the private copying regime only extends to personal copies on recordable CDs. The report confirms that private copying remains an important, reliable source of income for music rightsholders worldwide, while noting Canada’s limited system. The study shows that private copying remuneration generated approximately $1.7 billion CAN worldwide in 2024.
SOCAN, along with the Canadian Private Copying Collective and 14 other music organizations, attended roundtable meetings with Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada and Canadian Heritage in March 2026 to advocate for the urgency and importance of updating Canada’s private copying regime to be technologically neutral. This would mean that smartphones, cloud storage, and connected devices – now the dominant technologies for personal copying – would be included in a modern private copying framework for Canada.
As technologies evolve, legal frameworks must evolve, too. Improving Canada’s private copying regime would ensure that songwriters, composers and music publishers are fairly compensated when their works are copied for personal use.