Volume II

Issue : 3: February 5, 2004

• U.S. National Cable Association Proposes Limited VoIP Regulation
• The VoIP Regulatory Debate Intensifies in Canada - TRAI Amends its Quality of Service Regulations for VoIP Long Distance Service in India
• Minnesota Judge Refuses to Reserve VoIP Decision - Panama Introduces Tax on VoIP
• Lawsuit Launched Against Credit Card Companies over Piracy of Internet Pornography
• U.S. Telemarketers Required to Identify Themselves to Consumers by Caller ID
• Federal, British Columbia and Alberta Privacy Commissioners Agree to Cooperate
• FTC Releases Report on 2003 Consumer Fraud and Identity Theft Complaints
• B.C. Court Rules Forward Looking Infra-Red Technology Does Not Constitute a Search
• RIAA Targets Individuals on Anonymous Basis - Australia Music Industry Sues ISP
• France Gets Ready to Take Action against Internet Piracy
• Canadian Company to Offer High-speed Internet Access Via Hydro Lines
• U.S. Court of Appeals Finds Formation of On-line Contract Does Not Require "I Agree"
• Ontario Court Asserts Jurisdiction Over Washington Post Based on Online Publication

Home > Volume II > Issue 3: February 5, 2004 > RIAA Targets Individuals on Anonymous Basis - Australia Music Industry Sues ISP

RIAA Targets Individuals on Anonymous Basis - Australia Music Industry Sues ISP

The Recording Industry Association of America ("RIAA") has filed copyright infringement suits in the U.S. against 532 unnamed individuals. It proceeded on this anonymous basis after a US appeals court refused to let it identify file swappers through subpoenas to Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The RIAA will now learn of individual names through the litigation discovery process, and will provide individuals with an opportunity to settle before their names are added to the suit. This process is viewed as more protective of individual privacy rights.

In Australia, applicants including Universal Music Australia, Sony Music Entertainment Australia, Warner Music Australia and BMG Australia have commenced federal proceedings against an ISP. Changes to the Australian Copyright Act in 2000 provided ISPs with a defence of "innocent dissemination", which has not yet been tested. The action was commenced following a six-month operation by the industry-funded Music Industry Piracy Investigation (MIPI) organization. A MIPI spokesperson estimates that up to 20% of ISPs' revenue in Australia is generated by traffic in illegal sound recordings.

For further information, visit:
http://news.com.com/2100-1027_3-5144558.html
http://shorl.com/dehilihapege