I always thought this was dodgy. Film producers took ISP iinet to court because their users were downloading movies and TV shows over the internet. Why didn't they take on the bog guys like Telstra and Optus? Because it was about bullying smaller companies to establish a precedent rather than about real justice. It appears common sense has prevailed.
From the ABC:
Film industry loses iiNet download case
The Australian film and television industry has lost a case against a major internet service provider whose customers downloaded pirated movies and television programs.
The case against iiNet was filed in the Federal Court by a number of applicants including Village Roadshow, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, Disney and the Seven Network.
The legal action followed a five-month investigation by the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft.
The companies claimed iiNet infringed copyright by failing to stop users engaging in illegal file sharing.
But today the Federal Court ruled in the internet service provider's favour.
Justice Dennis Cowdroy said it was "impossible" to find against iiNet for what its users did.
"It is impossible to conclude that iiNet has authorised copyright infringement ... (it) did not have relevant power to prevent infringements occurring," Justice Cowdroy he said.
The judge ordered the studios to pay the court costs.
Full article here
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