Film industry loses iiNet download case

[debro]

The Australian film and television industry has lost a case against a major internet service provider whose customers downloaded pirated movies and television programs.
The case against iiNet was filed in the Federal Court by a number of applicants including Village Roadshow, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, Disney and the Seven Network.
The legal action followed a five-month investigation by the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft.
The companies claimed iiNet infringed copyright by failing to stop users engaging in illegal file sharing.

…

He said the case was lodged to try to protect the livelihoods of the thousands of Australians who work in the television and film industries.

I protest the term “Australian film and television industry” as Australias F&T industry is quite small, and nothing it produces is worth pirating regardless. This case was all about protecting US F&T interests.

“It is impossible to conclude that iiNet has authorised copyright infringement … (it) did not have relevant power to prevent infringements occurring,” he said. The judge ordered the studios to pay the court costs.

Regardless, the judge declared that the carriage service cannot be held responsible for individual users actions, and that iinet acted in the correct manner in regards to Australian privacy laws.

Mr Gane said he was confident that the Federal Government would now review the laws surrounding copyright infringement.

Something to look forward to.

There is now significant speculation that the US F&T industry will be lobbying the Aussie government to tighten up copyright infringement laws, and provide enforcement of those laws, chasing individual for prosecution, similar to the RIAA’s infamous cases in the USA.

I’ll comment it’s hard enough to get the Aussie government to do anything in Oz, other than jetsetting around the world to make a name for themselves, but who knows, individual pollies might be interested in a slightly larger retirement fund, after their bottomless cash, err , political terms, end.

At any rate, cash-strapped Oz is unlikely to be paying tax payers $$$$$$$$$ to chase down 12yr olds with a PC & internet connection during the middle of the Global Financial Crisis … which is expected to last for several years.
Australia generally comes down hard on people profiteering (selling) pirate material, when they are caught.

And the Aftermath…

[Mr_Belvedere]

In a landmark judgement, Justice Dennis Cowdroy ruled the internet service provider (ISP) was not liable for the downloading habits of its customers.

Of course it isn’t! Think of the nice brave new world we would live in!

• A car shop is responsible for your driving habits
• A gun shop is reponsible for your shooting habits
• A drug store is responsible for your … well… drug habits
• A liqour store is responsible for your drinking habits
• A computer store is responsible for your computer habits.
• etc. etc.

Where will we draw the line regarding to your own goddamn responsibility? There are laws for regulating these “habits” people might have.

Will it end in “Well, i didn’t ask for to be born so deal with my habits!”

Until then i expect a huge lot of “very big companies” versus “kinda small companies using resources of very big companies” lawsuits.

[Zathros]

“I protest the term “Australian film and television industry” as Australias F&T industry is quite small, and nothing it produces is worth pirating regardless. This case was all about protecting US F&T interests.”

I really object to that, you should have put the word “asshole” after "protecting and before “US F&T interests”.

As an American, it isn’t in my interests, it is in the interests of the “asshole US F&T fatcat, money grubbing overcharging bastards that are slowly destroying the good 'ol U.S.A… Their doings are as ‘Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor; so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour,’” fulfilling a scripture, which as you can see is not always a wise thing to do.