Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Australia a laughing stock for our copyright law

Professor Joshua Gans from Core Economics explains why Australia is rapidly becoming a laughing stock for introducing new laws[1] which ban replaying of video tapes you've recorded from the television:

So when the government finally gets around to reforming the laws -- through deliberative thought -- you would think that the end solution would make some sense. Not so and Australia is becoming a world-wide laughing stock as a result.
[...]
As you can see here, by replaying even bits of television you are breaking the law. If you watch a program and then let your spouse [watch] it later you are breaking the law.





[1] Strictly speaking, the law has not actually been passed yet; however we've got the Federal Government's explanation of what they want the law to do, and they explicitly say that replaying recordings is forbidden. Back

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