Australian law may endanger iPod users
updated 05:05 pm EST, Tue November 21, 2006
Australian law, iPod users
New proposed copyright laws in Australia will significantly lower the threshold for criminal infringements regarding the use of MP3 players such as Apple's iPod, according to one report. Politicians and experts are already debating amendments to the bill, which will likely be voted on some time next year, according to the International Herald Tribune. Electronic Frontiers Australia -- a non-profit online free speech group -- claim the bill significantly extends the scope of items considered used for copyright theft to personal devices such as video players, iPods, and personal computers. The group also said the bill would make distribution of copyright material via the internet a criminal offense, even if the person responsible had no intention of distributing it. The bill would impose a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a fine of $50,000 US.
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[ the bill would make distribution of copyright material via the internet a criminal offense, even if the person responsible had no intention of distributing it ]
with all these open wireless networks in the world, there are millions of people out there guilty of breaking these laws and have absolutely no idea. This global copyright witch-hunt has to end, I wonder how many innocent people will be legally extorted for millions of dollars before it does.