jenkins4

Anti Piracy Downunder

New downloading laws would force pirates to walk the plank

Internet users could find themselves in the dock like Game of Thrones' Tyrion, under new copyright laws from the Australian government.


Game of Thrones fans be warned: winter is coming, as the federal government plans to freeze Australia's reputation for piracy.

A range of new rules and penalties will force consumers to pay up before downloading files, including that of the hit TV series.

Australia has one of the highest rates of online piracy in the world, proving costly to the nation's multibillion-dollar creative industry.

The government today unveiled proposals aimed at stopping piracy. They include forcing internet service providers (ISPs) to block overseas sites known to offer illegal access to content.

This would enable rights holders to apply for a court order commanding the ISP to ban certain sites.

There is also a move to change the Copyright Act so ISPs would be liable for allowing access to illegal content.

The law change would consider what, if any, "reasonable steps" were taken by the provider to prevent piracy.

By way of penalty, internet users who download illegal content could receive warning notices and face access limitations if the behaviour continues.

While calling for public submissions on its proposals, the government said a range of factors was required to eliminate piracy, including law-abiding consumers and reasonably priced content.

Attorney-General George Brandis said any changes would take into account consumer interests.

"The government's preference is to create a legal framework that will facilitate industry co-operation to develop flexible and effective measures to combat online piracy," he said.

Australians were among the viewers who illegally downloaded the season-four finale of Game of Thrones a record 1.5 million times within 12 hours of the show being aired.

Industry groups welcomed the government's proposed reforms. Village Roadshow co-chairman Graham Burke warns that Australia is on the precipice of losing valuable businesses if there is no change.

Game of Thrones distributor Foxtel said piracy had far-reaching impacts, and the pay TV provider had already moved to deter illegal downloads by providing content to Australian viewers as soon as possible following screenings overseas.

The Communications Alliance, which represents several leading ISPs, urged caution on some of the proposals.

It said entities including schools, universities and libraries offering legitimate services could be caught in the revised act, leading to disadvantages for consumers.

The alliance called for the establishment of an industry scheme as the best way to address piracy.

© AAP 2014

No more illegal downloads: Government
btw, the latest TF post on the matter, is very 'illuminating'

wildhoney66

like i said on Paradise. why can't they just watch it as it airs? it will cut back on the downloading. i love to download stuff don't get me wrong. but if a tv show is on i try and watch it. and HBO airs the show countless times throught the week so why not watch it then? it doesn't have to be on the night it airs. just watch it on another nite, or watch it on HBO Go if need be.

FishBradSalmon

yes wildhoney66 HBO and other versions of it are great for showing stuff 6 times a month and then another 6 times on a different channel and so on :-)

wildhoney66

than my point is unless you don't have the channel and can't afford it. than just subscribe to the site and you can watch it there. or hell there's always tv.com where you can watch it for free as well. not everything has to be downloaded.

that would greatly help our cause in having sh*t like this NOT happen if people did that. but than what do i know ya know?

BaZZa101

We have AusStar and an other PayTV company. I personally don't subscribe to any of them even though I can get it for just $15.00 a month through my Telstra T-Box. I spent many years subscribing to PayTV companies but I now feel that it just doesn't suit my life style anymore and besides that I am happy with the Free to Air channels.
I actually brought the DVD series of Game Of Thrones. I buy a lot of Original DVDs New and Used.
So yer People could just Subscribe to the channel site and watch it at a later date.
It is just a shame that people now days want every thing 5minutes ago and they want it for Free. This has NEVER been the case in real life ever. We just seem to be breeding a population of greedy people.
I appreciate your comments :-)

wildhoney66

like i said i love downloading this & that. but i still buy plenty of dvd's i love owning them on either dvd or blu-ray. through the years i downloaded the entire Doctor who series if you count the recons. it took me about 4 & a half years to get it all. but than i also have bought i them on dvd. i think i have something like #45 i think? of them on dvd.

i watch stuff online as well. really the only time i download stuff tv show wise, if i am impatient like you said for certain shows. but that's only for certain shows. most of the time i just watch it online for free if i forget to dvd-r it. anyways, i also still buy cd's as well. even though i own an iPod in short i've downloaded plenty of music & movies and tv 1st and than if i like them, i'll later buy them on dvd or cd. that's how i do it anyways