Brandis’ leaked copyright proposals are unrealistic
In this cross-posting from The Conversation Nicolas Suzor and Alex Button-Sloan from the Queensland University of Technology look at why the leaked plans to change copyright laws could lead to a lot of unintended problems for consumers.
The Australian Government has proposed Internet Service Providers (ISPs) monitor and punish Australians who download and infringe copyright.
In a discussion paper circulated by Attorney-General George Brandis, and leaked by Crikey last Friday, the government proposes a sweeping change to Australian copyright law. If implemented, it would force ISPs to take steps to prevent Australians from infringing copyright.
All it does is accelerate the mainstream take up of encryption.
Bloody hard to find one needle in a needle-stack.
(And if you’re a journo, doctor, lawyer or anyone else who deals with confidential source, patient, client type stuff – why aren’t you already encrypting all your data and traffic? huh???)
Not to mention that people will avoid any steps put in place to stop downloading. Seedboxes, encryption, etc
Lets not forget that the method used by ISPs internationally to monitor customers, such as Deep Packet Inspection, is highly evasive, and I would argue, a breach of privacy.
Passwords, bank accounts, medical records, et al will be monitored 24/7 if this goes ahead.
The government needs to foster competition, provide more choices for Australians, at fair prices, and the result will be a dramatic reduction in piracy.
This should be core to the government’s policy before heading down this road.
If Netflix, as an example, was allowed to operate in Australia, as it does in the US, with no ridiculous restrictions, and at the same price point, it would severely erode Foxtel’s stranglehold on content – and that my dear countrymen and women, is the reason for the proposed copyright laws. Protect the current establishment and their investment
regardless of the fact that the pricing is unfair and the product offering, especially when compared to other western countries, is lousy.
If you’re not concerned about your limited lack of choice, or the price you currently pay, you should be concerned about the further erosion of your privacy that this proposed law will impose – unintended consequences indeed!
Janice, could you please point out how the government has restricted or set price points for Netflix here in Australia?
And do you REALLY think that passwords, bank accounts, emails, online purchases etc are NOT monitored 24/7 now.
Netflix will enter the market once they can secure the right peering and ISP embedded relationships. they have been exploring the lower level requirements. the ISP sector knows this, its openly discussed on the techie lists.
It doesn’t help that Foxtel secured exclusive rights to content which netflix would seek to distribute OTT.
Netflix has to consider its cost/benefit side. Its chosen to expand into other IPR regions in europe first. Thats not to say there aren’t monopolistic dinosoar telco/cable companies there too, but they aren’t geographically challenging the way Austraya is.
Brandis’ report is a shonk. He’s cost shifting to try and secure paper benefits to a whiney industry sector. Its about as useful as a bog paper spoon. Last time AG tried to tell us how to behave online, it worked so well for Conway and the rest, didn’t it?
I have sympathies with rights holders at source, but rights acquirers for distribution are the kind of capitalist I think we can all rejoice to see ride past in the tumbrill. I used to feel the same way about publishers but whilst Hachette is a rapacious market beast, they have nothing on Amazon for dominance. Rupert can sole source his own content all he pleases. When he uses capital to secure exclusive rights to things we can source direct and then forces legislation to prevent us sourcing them direct, he’s being the thing we have to put back in a box.
Abbott government payback to Murdoch, which recently claimed that it looses 20% potential income due to on-line piracy.
It’s stupid in conception, and unworkable in reality: just the sort of thing to get Abbott stepping up to the podium so say something like: “This is the RIGHT thing to be doing. Doing this is the RIGHT thing. Yes, your government is doing the RIGHT thing here.”
BOLLOCKS! It ain’t piracy, and it ain’t going away.
BTW: the http://pirateparty.org.au/ is doing stuff on this: join in!