ISPs subjected to US 'takedown notice' system

[netsat]

Australia has agreed to the US's 'takedown notice' regime under the Free Trade Agreement. The measure enables copyright owners to force ISPs to remove music, video or text files by serving written notice. The Australian govt first announced in February 2004 that it would harmonise intellectual property (IP) laws with US laws. The Internet Industry Assn has called for a co-regulatory approach to such notices, making the system a bolt-on to an ISP code of practices vs amending the Copyright Act. Internet subscribers who are accused in a takedown notice are entitled to issue a counter notification, in which the party agrees to be bound by the rulings of a court locally or anywhere the party or ISP can be found.

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You can read all about the Intellecual Property section of the Free Trade Agreement:

http://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotia..._property.html

I have my doubts that these ammendments will be passed in our Senate.