Seven moviemaker giants have filed copyright infringement case against iiNet which is one of Australia’s leading Internet Service Providers (ISP).
According to the statement released by Hollywood bigwigs Twentieth Century Fox Film, Warner Brothers Entertainment, Disney Enterprises, Inc., Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, and Village Roadshow, the ISP company has failed to provide software and service features that will prohibit people from downloading copyrighted materials including television shows and movies.
Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) executive director Adrianner Pecotic said that Hollywood movie studios filed criminal case against the Internet provider’s failure to stop Internet users from committing copyright infringement.
The Hollywood moviemakers want the ISP company to stop providing Internet service to those people who have committed copyright infringements by illegally downloading media contents from various BitTorrent sites.
Managing director of RoadShow Entertainment Chris Chard said that their popular movies including I am Legend and No reservation, and animated show Happy Feet have been the most illegally downloaded copyrighted materials by iiNet’s clients.
In response with the copyright infringement allegations, chief operating officer of iiNet Mark White said that movie studios are forcing his company to release their customers’ details on the basis of alleged copyright infringement without having proven the case yet, adding that his company would have to first consult their case to the Internet Industry Association (IIA) to know what legal actions they have to make.
White also said his company is not supporting any form of piracy and added that this problem is an industry issue which means that any legal action they have to make should be aligned with IIA’s rules and regulations.
The copyright infringement case will proceed on December 20, 2008.