Update: iiNet copyright case decision next week

 

Federal Court sets date for copyright showdown.

The Federal Court will hand down its decision in the copyright case between ISP iiNet and the film industry next week, according to a report in a major Australian newspaper.

The case was brought against iiNet in an attempt by the film industry to hold service providers responsible for illegal downloads over their networks.

The Australian newspaper said the decision would be handed down next week, citing a Federal Court announcement.

The Federal Court has this afternoon updated its electronic case files, revealing the judgement will be handed down on Thursday February 4th at 9.30am.

A spokesman for the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft said they were "looking forward to a decision".

Representatives of iiNet could not be reached for comment.

The judgement comes much earlier than even the best estimates from lawyers and industry observers.

A decision on the case, for which hearings concluded in late November last year, had not been expected for approximately six months.

You can follow the case in-full here. For a background on the case, click here.


Update: iiNet copyright case decision next week
"Some people still really do not get it. Non commercial copyright infringement is NOT a crime. It is not theft. It is not criminal. Their is no law against it. May as well say that lending a book ..."
By KJ
 
 
 
Comments: 11
Thysce
Jan 27, 2010 3:57 PM
inb4 Digger11 posting "Guilty" or some other variant.
TruthSphere
Jan 27, 2010 4:41 PM
Fingers crossed that the Aussie 'David' beats the American Corporation 'Goliaths'. Go iinet!
anonymous
Jan 27, 2010 5:12 PM

Yes, TruthSphere!

However, the big content corporates are not only American. There are Australian and other news and entertainment corporations who are right there on the bandwagon (that's AFACT?).

Their interest there seems to influence some of the stuff they serve up to the public, and also perhaps some of the, ahem, more detailed "unsolicited" blog posts we have to wade through.
btone
Jan 27, 2010 6:26 PM
This seems a bit ridiculous, the time frame here is very, very fast. So either the court has decided that AFACT's bluff and bluster is parently absurd (true) or he has been reading too many overseas headlines about the tricks Sarkozy, the robber baron UK 'lord' and the part time money for justice scandinavians have been pulling out of their pants.

Weird...
btone
Jan 27, 2010 6:54 PM
Oops, forgot to give a dishonourable mention to Il Duce Berlosconni's failed state media dictatorship and its latest foray into the world of the interpipes:

http://www.itnews.com.au/News/165603,internet-companies-voice-alarm-over-italian-law.aspx

Don't read that Digger11, you might get too excited! :)
Des Gusting
Jan 28, 2010 12:46 AM
Just as it is illegal for Telstra/Optus etc to intercept my phone calls, and Aussie Post is not allowed to open my mail why should an ISP be able to 'packet inspected' my internet data, shouldn't that be illegal too?
If the court finds in favour of AFACT then its time to bombard our 'elected' members with our disapproval of this invasion of our privacy, and the precedence it will set. Conversely the court should rule that AFACT acted illegally in intercepting internet traffic for its own ends. AFACT should have had a statutory body (Police,etc) act on its behalf, if it could convince them a crime had been commited. AFACT's data should be inadmissible as it may have been obtained illegally and it was not impartial data they presented.
Mark D
Jan 28, 2010 11:12 AM
here here to Des Gusting's post.

Its amazing to see organisations like AFACT crying wolf when we see box office record sales broken such as the recent Avatar sales. I'm sure they will spin it to find a reason to cry broken wallets. In the end the industry needs to step up to the modern age like the gaming industry has with the likes of companies such as Steam. Portable digital entertainment supported by our ISP's. Exactly what consumers after! Exactly what I buy.
KJ
Jan 28, 2010 1:37 PM
Yes we want it, but it will not happen as they are just interested in protecting their precious markets and markups.
Want to buy an mp3 on amazon ?

Digger11
Jan 28, 2010 3:44 PM
@btone.
Totally too excited.

If anyone takes their cues form the criminal supporting "civil libertarians" then good luck to them.

I myself live an honest and fruitful life.


marklara
Feb 3, 2010 11:56 AM
@Digger11

Whatever helps you sleep at night mate.
KJ
Feb 3, 2010 3:04 PM
Some people still really do not get it.
Non commercial copyright infringement is NOT a crime.
It is not theft. It is not criminal. Their is no law against it.
May as well say that lending a book is a criminal offence.
No matter how much AFACT and their ilk want it to be, it is not, (yet!). sigh.

At best "making available" may be liable for civil prosecution. AFAIK no Australian individual has ever been successfully prosecuting for p2p sharing. But AFACT et al. know that no Aussie court/jury is likely to award massive damages vs. some poor sod sharing a few songs (unlike the US) so this is their back door method to "criminalise" and "punish offenders".

Let's just hope iinet kill this attempted snatch of our rights.
Comments have been disabled for this article.
 
 
 
Top Stories
Telstra shifts BigPond email to Windows Live
All data to be migrated to Microsoft cloud.
 
Windows 8: Under the hood
Part One of iTnews' enterprise guide to Windows 8.
 
iTnews on tour: The Executive Summit Series
Join us in Sydney and Melbourne to meet Australia's tech leaders.
 
Sign up to receive iTnews email bulletins
   FOLLOW US...

Latest VideosSee all videos »

Latest Comments
Polls
Would you be concerned about your business' email data being hosted offshore?

   |   View results
Yes
  87%
 
No
  13%
TOTAL VOTES: 106

Vote