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Who's right on copyright?

As we await the ruling of the High Court on the iiNet-AFACT case, the internet industry and rights holders are battling it out to find an equitable solution to a growing problem.
Written by Phil Dobbie, Contributor

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As we await the ruling of the High Court on the iiNet-AFACT case, the internet industry and rights holders are battling it out to find an equitable solution to a growing problem.

As I highlighted on ZDNet Australia earlier this week, file sharing, the tool of choice for many copyright violators, is more than twice as prevalent in Australia than it is in the US. It's a sign that copyright theft is a significant issue in Australia.

The rights holders and ISPs each have a vested interest in reaching a sensible approach to tackling the problem — the rights holders want to reduce losses from theft, whilst the ISPs will benefit from the surety of an agreed approach that will remove the threat of future legal action.

Unfortunately, the two sides seem to be some way off reaching agreement on what to do about it. In this edition of Twisted Wire, John Stanton, CEO of the Communications Alliance, talks about the recommended approach from the ISPs. Vanessa Hutley, CEO of Music Industry Piracy Investigations, explains why the proposal hasn't been welcomed by the rights holders.

As you'll hear, it's a complex issue, and there's no straightforward answer. But an answer has to be found.

Can you add to the debate? Leave your suggestions on the Twisted Wire feedback line — (02) 9304 5198.

Running time: 36 minutes, 25 seconds.

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