Sure, the people you work with might be. But the person being tortured? I don't think they are "normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances".

No, because the actual phrase was "normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances". The people you work with are not part of your family's normal social aquaintances (ok, a handful of them may be).

It's pretty clear that this phrase means your family and usual circle of friends who visit your family (semi-) regularly, i.e. normally. It does not mean the office party.

Ask yourself this: if you quit your job, would your collegues still be normal aquaintances of your family? If not, then they are not social acquaintances.

Certainly in England the PRS (performing right society) will attempt to collect money to licence music if you're a small business playing music only to employees.

http://www.prsformusic.com/users/businessesandliveevents/Pag...

Especially http://www.prsformusic.com/users/businessesandliveevents/Pag...

> Workers/colleagues and/or customers/clients have been recognised by the courts as falling within the composer's ‘public’. Any person wishing either to play or to authorise the playing of our music to such individuals in the workplace - wherever that workplace is situated - should therefore obtain a music licence.

No, they are colleagues. You didn't become acquainted with them socially, you became acquainted with them through work, and at work the reason for your continued acquaintance is commercial in nature.

no, they are "professional acquaintances". I'm mostly being facetious here of course, but it certainly sounds to me like an argument a lawyer would make.