There's been an ongoing struggle in Australia to find the right balance when it comes to copyright law. This is an issue in every country in the world – the laws have to be just right. If they're too lax, it's difficult for companies to sell their work and make a profit – but too strict, and they restrict people's ability to access content.
The commission recommended a few key strategies for loosening up the rules and making it easier on consumers.
Recently, the Australian Government Productivity Commission came out with a report saying that the laws on the books currently are a bit too strict, thus making it hard for people to find the information they're looking for. The commission recommended a few key strategies for loosening up the rules and making it easier on consumers.
What are these rules, and how might they affect the companies producing today's content? These are key questions.
Potential law changes ahead?
When the Productivity Commission released its final report in late 2016, it urged for change to the current status quo with copyright law in Australia. According to research from Spruson and Ferguson, a few strategic modifications were suggested:
- Limiting geoblocking: Geoblocking makes it tough for people in certain areas to access content. These restrictions may soon be lifted.
- Allowing parallel importation of books: Consumers of books like to have multiple options, including those published both domestically and abroad. They may soon have a wider range to choose from.
- Lifting liabilities on internet service providers (ISPs): Australia currently indemnifies ISPs for copyright infringement that happens over their networks. If this changes, content sharing will become easier.
Resolving disputes as they come
If we end up seeing significant changes to intellectual property law in Australia, this may lead to a lot of disputes between companies and content consumers as time goes on. According to IP Australia, disagreements are natural, and there are many ways to resolve them.
These conflict resolution methods include demand letters, settlement negotiations and, if necessary, going to court and suing for control of intellectual property. The hope is that it never has to come to this, but if it does, you'll want to have capable legal help ready.
Get legal assistance when you need it
If your business ever gets into a contentious situation where intellectual property is concerned, it's wise to get highly competent professionals to help you out right away. Fortunately, there are no better copyright lawyers in Sydney than the experts at Alder IP, so all you need to do is contact us.
If you ever need to take a case to trial, we'll be ready to manage the process and make sure you hit all the key deadlines involved. No one wants to be mired in a difficult legal struggle, but if you ever are, we can help you out.