Pro-DRM Law May Be Coming To Australia

[BJ_M]

"The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Australian Federal Government will soon introduce laws making it illegal to circumvent copy control 'technological prevention measures' (or TPMs). The laws will make it illegal to modchip a console, to hack a DVD player to make it multi-region, to install DVD decoders on your PC, or to circumvent DRM in any other way. From the article: 'Anyone found to have used technology to circumvent copy control TPMs will face fines of up to $6600, while those guilty of distributing enabling devices and services to others through a variety of means face imprisonment for up to five years and possible fines of $60,500.' Australia is obliged to introduce these laws as part of it's Free Trade Agreement with the USA.

[G)-(OST]

Great What else is new

[adam]

"The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Australian Federal Government will soon introduce laws making it illegal to circumvent copy control 'technological prevention measures' (or TPMs). The laws will make it illegal to modchip a console, to hack a DVD player to make it multi-region, to install DVD decoders on your PC, or to circumvent DRM in any other way.

I'm assuming this is a typo and is supposed to read DVD decryptors?

In any case you really have to read articles like this with a big grain of salt. The DMCA like restrictions are indeed going to be adopted by Australia, but quite frankly, when a newspaper starts listing the specific devices and activities that are going to be made illegal they are totally talking out of their butts. They just have no idea and laws are never written this way.

For instance, Australia is just about to amend their Copyright act to include all sorts of exceptions like format shifting and general exceptions for music copying. They have also stated that 2 years after the implementation of these amendments they will examine whether they want to extend the exceptions to audio/visual works as well, something that most other countries refuse to even consider. Australia also just had a major high court ruling that legalized mod chips, so its possible there will be an exception made for that activity too. All of these things will affect the scope of the new TPM legislation, and of course there will be a general Fair Use exception to it as well, since Australia finally adopted the provisions formally. These TPM laws are spreading all over the world and they are of course very restrictive. But you just have to wait to see what checks each country places on them before you can determine what is and isn't allowed. Australia has historically been pretty open minded when it comes to consumer rights versus copyright restrictions.

[Noahtuck]

I can understand these two, illegal to modchip a console, install DVD decoders on your PC, I agree and think they mean "Decrypters", i don't agree as i obviously use many diff decrypters & have mod chipped many systems over the years...

But this one, hack a DVD player to make it multi-region, that's just insane!!
Like it's really that big of a deal to import dvd's to watch at home when they are not or may never be availible in your native country

[celtic_druid]

Everyone should just stop paying taxes. Then the government wouldn't have money to waste screwing us over.

[offline]

Adam: Australia has historically been pretty open minded when it comes to consumer rights versus copyright restrictions.

Historically - yes, but under a different govt. Our current one is likely to go as far to overrule the high court re: the mod chips ruling. To get an idea just how far the current regime leans towards protecting special interests, check out the continuing joke with DTB and Australia's provision for two new digital multi-casting "channels".

when a newspaper starts listing the specific devices and activities that are going to be made illegal they are totally talking out of their butts. They just have no idea and laws are never written this way.

That is true. Even if you are expert at interpreting bills, it is often difficult to gauge effects on the micro side.

But you just have to wait to see what checks each country places on them

Agreed. But I'm not expecting much in the way of checks and balances here.

[CrayonEater]

format shifting and general exceptions for music copying

Wow, at least you have some civil liberties there. I believe format shifting is illegal, at least technically, here. Wish I could say I was wrong.

[ViRaL1]

format shifting and general exceptions for music copying

Wow, at least you have some civil liberties there. I believe format shifting is illegal, at least technically, here. Wish I could say I was wrong.

That depends on the application. As far as I know it's still legal to rip your own CDs.