Getting territorial: Geo-blocking on borrowed time?

The business model that has served major players in the entertainment, media and software industries for decades is under threat following the recommendations of Australia's IT pricing Inquiry.

Unsurprisingly, the Committee undertaking the inquiry found that Australians pay more than US and UK consumers for apps, movies, music, games and software and that industry justifications (such as small market size, high wages, onerous warranty obligations, exchange rates etc) do not adequately explain the difference.

In what are game-changing recommendations, the Committee urged the government to:

• change the Copyright Act 1968 to allow Australian consumers to get around the digital "geo-blocking" technology often used to prevent them from purchasing products at a cheaper price from online stores targeted at overseas markets;