Copyright laws to make life difficult for iPod owners in Australia
Even carrying an iPod could lead to trouble.
Australian Federal Government has decided to crack down on copyright infringement criminals. The Government has thinking of proposing changes to digital copyright laws in the country. These laws will lower the standard of proof required to charge someone with copyright infringement. Australians found with a device, which is capable of digitally making an infringing copy of music, or legal content, will be a slapped with a heft fine of $65,000, or face a jail term of five years, or both. The device is could be MP3 player, a camera phone, VCR or DVD recorder among other gadgets capable of infringing music.
Both the houses have raised an issue that the government is trying to legalize the complex bill through parliament before going through it carefully.
The Australian Government is taking no chances in taking copyright infringement criminals to task. Crazy as it might sound, they have gone ahead and proposed changes in the copyright infringement law. The law states that Australian citizen found in possession of the device which is capable of digitally making an infringing copy of copyrighted material or content will be guilty. Those found guilty will be asked to pay $65,000 or five years in jail, or for that matter both! What’s more? Even if Australians load their tracks onto a music player, thru legitimately purchased CD, it would still be classified as infringing copyright. The proposed changes look to make it and “indictable offense” to possess these devices.
The Federal Government has cleverly suggested what the "device" would be like. According to the Section 132AL(2), the device could be MP3 player, a camera phone, VCR or DVD recorder among other gadgets used by Australians. The amendments are been introduced to Parliament, which are being debated by politicians and experts. The final version of the bill will be put to vote, expected sometime next year.
Brian Fitzgerald, the head of Queensland University's law school said "The law has the potential to make everyday Australians in homes and businesses across the country into criminals on a scale that we have not witnessed before."
According to a survey since its launch 14 months ago, iTunes has sold 100 million songs. Now compare this 2.2 billion illegal downloads in the same period. The agreement with US complicates matters further. As per the agreement, Australia need to adopt tough US-inspired laws aimed at preventing people from breaking encrypted CDs or DVDs, an activity that is not yet illegal in Australia.
On a passing note, copyright expert, Kim Weatherall, of Melbourne University's law school said, "You could possibly use it to listen to music that you've recorded yourself or even to a recording made by your friend's band. If anything, digital copyright laws are going to become a lot tougher in this country." .