The Federal Court of Australia recently handed down orders in
two cases concerning access to copyright infringing websites. These
are the latest in a string of cases under s 115A of the
Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), which allows the Federal Court
to order internet service providers to block access to overseas
websites that facilitate copyright infringement.
In Foxtel Management Pty Limited v TPG Internet Pty Ltd
[2017] FCA 1041, Foxtel sought orders against TPG, Telstra, Optus
and Vocus to block access to 17 copyright infringing sites,
including WatchSeries, Project Free TV and Putlocker. The sites in
question were hosting a number of unauthorised streams of film and
television content without the licence or approval of the copyright
owners of the works. Justice Burley granted orders blocking access
to all 17 sites on the basis that their primary purpose was to
infringe, or facilitate infringement of, Foxtel's copyright
over a number of television series.
