HIGH COURT RULING BRINGS NO REPRIEVE FOR PIRACY WAR

AN internet expert warns the online piracy war between internet service providers (ISP) and content providers is far from won.

Internet Society of Australia director Robert Gregory (pictured) believes today’s High Court ruling in favour of ISP iiNet’s online piracy defence should prompt copyright owners and ISPs to create an industry-based scheme.

“This will not be the end of the debate. The ISPs and the copyright owners both have too much to lose if the current levels of piracy and litigation are allowed to go on and most likely increase,” he says.

“What is needed to resolve this major issue is a simple industry-based resolution scheme that provides content owners, ISPs and consumers with a transparent, fair, fast and economical way to deal with disputes.”

The High Court unanimously dismissed the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft's case against iiNet, ruling the ISP did not authorise its customers’ copyright infringements.

“The court expressly recognised that there is a role for co-operative industry protocols as well as legislative amendments to address the issue,” says Gregory, who is also a partner at Maddocks Lawyers.

“Now that the High Court has settled the way copyright law applies in this environment, it is not beyond the parties involved to come together and work out a scheme that everyone can live with.”