Aussie file sharing outcome welcomed by ISPs

It was recently ruled by the Australian courts that an ISP that was being sued by members of the entertainment industry would not be held liable for illegal filesharing activities amongst any of its customers, and this news has been welcomed by ISPs across the UK.

Internet service providers are said to have welcomed a recent ruling in Australia that related to alleged illegal filesharing amongst broadband users. An Australian broadband provider iiNet was taken to court by an entertainment industry group, which claimed that the ISP should be held responsible for the customers that were illegally filesharing.

However, the Australian courts determined that the ISP could not be held responsible for actions that were being taken by its customers, and this news has been welcomed by ISPs in the UK. More than thirty entertainment industry groups and studios were trying to sue the Australian ISP for allegedly allowing its customers to illegally fileshare, according to reports.

Justice Dennis Cowdroy, who was the judge presiding in the case against the ISP, stated in his ruling earlier this week: “iiNet is not responsible if an iiNet user uses that system to bring about copyright infringement… the law recognises no positive obligation on any person to protect the copyright of another.”

The decision taken by the courts in Australia will not have any direct impact on similar action that might be taken in the UK, but the news has nevertheless been welcomed by ISPs such as Talk Talk. In a recent report in the Guardian following the ruling it stated: “This judgment means that basic consumer and human rights in Australia will be upheld.”

Source – Cable