1. Background
Four key decisions, three of which involve interpretations of
the Copyright Act 1968, and one which looks into the
Broadcasting Services Act 1992, show that the development
of online and computerised content has raised some interesting
questions about the future of copyright in online content,
computer-created works, and the broadcast of television and radio
online. In summary:
- The iiNet decision, now on appeal to the High Court, has
clarified that ISPs are not responsible for authorising the illegal
downloading of content, yet also suggests that they have a
responsibility to ensure that their users are reprimanded for using
their services for such purposes.
- The Telstra Phone Directories decision suggests that material
generated by a computer does not attract copyright, which raises
some noteworthy questions about the future of computer-created
works.
