Australians Next on the P2P Lawsuit Hitlist
Written by enigmax on October 08, 2007Facing failure in their quest to force ISPs to warn and disconnect file-sharers, the anti-piracy division of the Australian music industry is now threatening to go the route of the RIAA and start taking legal action against individuals.
The Music Industry Piracy Investigations (MIPI) in conjunction with the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) have been pressurizing Australian Internet Service Providers to take action against those it accuses of infringing its copyrights.
They have informed ISPs that they require them to send warning notices to their customers informing them of their infringing behavior and warning of the likely consequences. They have also issued demands that ISPs disconnect their customers from the internet, should they be accused of sharing copyright works.
According to The Age, Sabiene Heindl – General Manager of MIPI – is signaling a new strategy after Australian ISPs dug their heels in and refused to co-operate with MIPI’s demands. The Internet Industry Association (IIA) wrote to MIPI and explained that they felt they weren’t responsible for the actions of its customers and should not be required to monitor them, effectively refusing to become the industry’s copyright police.
In a letter, the IIA suggested that copyright holders should look for their rights to be enforced by using the existing tools provided by the Australian courts and copyright law.
The IIA quite rightly believes that the labeling of someone as an infringer should only be done by the courts, not by an organization such as MIPI or AFACT, a point outlined in its letter: “The distinction between an infringer and an alleged infringer has been raised as an important legal standard which ought not be undermined by us.”
In response, Heindl explained: “We would hope that the ISPs and the record companies could come up with an alternative solution. That said, if that solution cannot be reached, and at this stage it’s because of the ISPs refusing to play ball, then we may have no alternative other than to take legal action.”
Originally created to curtail physical piracy, 2004 saw MIPI involved in high drama when it raided the offices and home addresses of people involved with Sharman Networks and Brilliant Digital Entertainment. Two universities and 4 ISPs were also raided during the search for evidence to support their case against KaZaA.
In 2005, MIPI was restructured to concentrate on educating the public about file-sharing, although this didn’t stop them raiding an ISP in their quest to get a BitTorrent hub shut down.
It’s likely that 2007/8 will see MIPI ‘educating’ file-sharers with the threat of lawsuits which are hugely expensive, have been tried extensively in the United States and generally, do not work.
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31 Responses
Fuck, wont these pricks ever learn.
I hope my aussie private sites are secure
Didn’t they send that Australian guy from DrinkOrDie to America to face charges in an American court for copyright infringement, when he had never even been to America?
Australian laws are seriously messed up.
“In 2005, MIPI was restructured to concentrate on educating the public about file-sharing, although this didn’t stop them raiding an ISP in their quest to get a BitTorrent hub shut down.”
They are so dumb, it is same smart thinking MPAA had in 2004, when they tried take down legit files created by Linux Australia.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/music-industry-has-aussie-pirates-in-the-crosshairs/2007/10/08/1191695804646.html
The only ISP, these fools have got is Swiftel.
i cant stop thinking how stuff like this will be when man lives in space and on different colonized planets :D
if we dont kill ourself and the planet first ofc… lol
One planet raids another planet because someone with a connection on the raided planet download something with a similar name to something protected by the RIAA or MPAA or MIPI.
lol hopefully not to long winded to understand.
I received a letter from my ISP saying I should read over their regulations and that was about it… when I contacted them about it they told me that it was either send the letter or be forced to give my personal information to a “company” that was claiming that I was illegally sharing their work. They basically told me that I should be careful with whom I share with. I feel so loved by my ISP. ;-P
Oh, great…
thinking
DEAD
looks like the kiwi’s have finally won.
even so, they’re not actually going to take any action against individuals. they didnt last time they raided the ISP’s, and they won’t this time.
at least Australia doesn’t have to MPAA or RIAA….
[quote comment="183548"]at least Australia doesn’t have to MPAA or RIAA….[/quote]
Yeah but I assume there is pressure from them on the Australian Counterparts.[quote comment="183393"] either send the letter or be forced to give my personal information to a “company” that was claiming that I was illegally sharing their work.[/quote]
WTH the ways the laws currently are the ISP can only send warnings and shut off your internet if you continue to do it but I thought it was against Australian privacy laws at the momment for an ISP to give out your details without you permission.?
I dunno, I hear in Australia, it’s illegal to own an iPod :P
So basically the MIPI want to force the ISP provider to surrender information and monitor what people download; and the ISP’s in general told them to get stuffed.
This is why Australia is a great place to live, we still have companies who have the balls to tell these Anti-piracy nazi’s to get stuffed and stop trying to get them to be their police.
But meh, according to the laws in place its illegal to import DVD’s from the USA. Why? Because god forbid we ever find out its cheaper to import from the USA then to buy the same thing in our own country.
hmm i live in Australia and i know for a fact that that our ISP can only send warnings thats all to us, lol i never got a warnings/ or a letter (because i’m a good kid lol)
but i think Australia will be share for a while well i it is lol
hmm i live in Australia and i know for a fact that that our ISP can only send warnings thats all to us, lol i never got a warnings/ or a letter (because i’m a good kid lol)
but i think Australia will be safe for a while well i it is lol
All aboard the MIPI Failboat.
[quote comment="183652"]I dunno, I hear in Australia, it’s illegal to own an iPod :P[/quote]
your a smart cunt arnt ya?
Music Industry Piracy Investigations can lick my balls.
In Australia it is legal to own an ipod and put your music on it DrmChsr0, but it is not legal to put the video clip to your music on it. lol, go figure.
You should look up the current laws, we have taxes to get around most things. and as for DVDs we are allowed to import, as its viewed as a restrictive trade practice, all our DVD players are region free, or at least they should be.
Unlike most places we have laws to stop restrictive practices and post purchase agreements.
Ha
It’s time TPB & co. got serious about a darknet tracker and a new darknet protocol.
Darknets by introduction are a bad idea, but a Darknet where you have anonymous connections to anonymous neighbours who forward your data (maybe, maybe not) area better idea.
The RIAA already used a jury staffed by imbeciles and softened up with pre-trial advertizing to sway a verdict. Time TPG & co to get ahead of their corruption. Leave them nothing to stand on.
im gonna share my music with whoever I like fuk em, they dun own me. As for their scare tactics its all wind cos they dont have the money and resources to do it. Heres the math, if they could put 10 people thru court per day for every day of 1 year that would equal 3650 people, how long would it take to do 2 million lmao, the best part is, the court cant do 10 people per day unless they all plead guilty lmao, we’re not that stupid or gullible. Fuk em, power to the people and their right to share!
Play smart, jump the neigbours wifi or use “Peer Guardian” if ur a soft cock .
Kill piracy, you kill record sales, When will the dumbass music industry learn? People download music to check out if they like it first (since the majority supposedly download full albums according to articles through out the years. So thats why album sales are in “decline”, not good albums being made in decline).
Buy it on iTunes you say? Bullshit, the artists don’t even get jack from the sale. So then you are left at square one.
the MIPI is a useless organization, they arent the musicians themselves, if the musicians wanted to sue people then so be it, but i dont see them causing a fuss.
Use peerguardian 2 when downloading torrents and don’t use the popular Kasza and Limewire.
I’m fucking sick of these bitches lying and pulling statistics out of their greedy asses.
With this news, I will proceed to download more than ever and inform others of p2p sharing and these extortionist threats. australians ned to form political action on this one and boycott the industry.
This is HOW. Whenever the media comes and asks you why the RIAA is lying (if they don’t you fucking scream it into their ears over the phone), you say it’s because of A CONSUMER BOYCOTT enacted BECAUSE OF THESE lying, bullying tactics and inclination to sue their benefactors (us).
“…….to face charges in an American court for copyright infringement, when he had never even been to America?
Australian laws are seriously messed up.”
And that’s another fucking reason to become politically active and hold the industry and politicains TO ACCOUNT. Starting from NOW!
Internet was born from the cold war. Now it’s for the free people of world. Keep it that way. Start a little ARP storm or two.
Here is a tip go get 1 album from the top 40 buy 50 blank cd’s copy that cd 10 20 30 40 50 times or what ever you can afford an leave copy on any campus or school shopping center and put a not on cd please copy this cd 10 20 30 40 50 times what ever you can afford and leave in a place where others can fine with the same note on it . if you want to show the RIAA or MPAA what people can realy do to hurt sales this is the way to show them hit them in there sales they will learn not to piss people off.
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