Australian Police Caught Pirating Movies

[IdolEyes787]

A recent audit of computer systems belonging to the South Australia Police has found that hundreds are being used to “share” films. In a move smacking of hypocrisy though, officers involved will not be charged.

According to The Australian, during an audit of computer systems by the South Australian police force’s IT branch, police computers belonging to hundreds of police officers were found to contain movies.

The origin of these movies is not clear, but it is probable that they’ve been downloaded via p2p at some point, either on these systems, or on the personal systems of officers and transferred over.

Senior officials of the SA police force have been made aware of the findings, including its commissioner Mel Hyde. However, police sources have told press that there will not be any investigation into this, citing the large numbers of police officers involved.

The Australian Federation against Copyright Theft (AFACT) has said it will write to the commissioner to seek an explanation, presumably as to why the police officers are being let off with what it considers a heinous crime. Quite ironically, AFACT boasts of “working closely with police” - perhaps this closeness has shown the police officers involved just how unimportant and meaningless this so-called ‘crime’ is in the grand scheme of things. If the officers do go unpunished, it could create a favorable precedent for filesharers in South Australia. If police officers, who are expected to be held to a greater level of accountability regarding the law, show this level of contempt for the current copyright laws, are unpunished, it will make it harder to convince a court that regular citizen should be punished for similar acts.

On the other hand, if the officers are punished under the law, which allows for up to AUS$60,500 (About US$55,700 or 35,500Euro) per infringement and up to 5 years imprisonment, the ability to effectively police the state will be severely diminished.

Either way, this case will bring to a head the vastly disproportionate penalties for an act that, as yet, has never been proven to be even financially damaging. One thing is certain, when even the police officers join large numbers of citizens in flouting such laws, the law’s place in society should be called into serious question.

The South Australian police force had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.

Source: http://torrentfreak.com/aussie-police-pirate-080407/

[Skiz]

According to The Australian, during an audit of computer systems by the South Australian police force’s IT branch, police computers belonging to hundreds of police officers were found to contain movies. The origin of these movies is not clear, but it is probable that they’ve been downloaded via p2p at some point, either on these systems, or on the personal systems of officers and transferred over.

That says it all. The officers are not being "let off", they simply have not done anything wrong. Without some sort of proof that they were downloading the films, there's no story and no case.

[manicgeek]

That says it all. The officers are not being "let off", they simply have not done anything wrong. Without some sort of proof that they were downloading the films, there's no story and no case.

Ummm no it doesn't that says they don't know where the copies of the movies came from, that doesn't make downloading them or burning them any less of a crime, you either have a legal copy or you don't according to the law, and if you have a legal copy then you should be able to produce it, and if you've been sharing it, even just within the SA polices own network it's still a crime.

[Skiz]

That says it all. The officers are not being "let off", they simply have not done anything wrong. Without some sort of proof that they were downloading the films, there's no story and no case.

Ummm no it doesn't that says they don't know where the copies of the movies came from, that doesn't make downloading them or burning them any less of a crime, you either have a legal copy or you don't according to the law, and if you have a legal copy then you should be able to produce it, and if you've been sharing it, even just within the SA polices own network it's still a crime.

There's nothing illegal about making a "backup". Who say that isn't what they were doing?

As for sharing it, there is no evidence whatsoever that suggest they were.

[manicgeek]

There's nothing illegal about making a "backup". Who say that isn't what they were doing?

As for sharing it, there is no evidence whatsoever that suggest they were.

There is in some countries.

[Skiz]

There's nothing illegal about making a "backup". Who say that isn't what they were doing?

As for sharing it, there is no evidence whatsoever that suggest they were.

There is in some countries.

Obviously I'm referring to Australia. I thought that was implied.

For all practical purposes, all downloading or copying of copyright audio or video without the permission of the copyright holder is illegal.

Makes no difference whether it is a digital or analog copy either. Also makes no difference whether you own a licensed original either.

The only meaningful exception is that you are permitted to make a time-shifted recording of a free to air television broadcast (i.e. so that you can watch the program later at a more convenient time).

So far as computer programs are concerned, you are permitted to copy the program for back-up purposes so long as you do not modify the program in making the back-up copy and so long as the "original" copied is not itself an infringing copy (i.e. you can't download a copy even if you own a licensed original because whoever uploaded it did not have the copyright holder's permission to distribute the copy).

[lee551]

Ummm no it doesn't that says they don't know where the copies of the movies came from, that doesn't make downloading them or burning them any less of a crime, you either have a legal copy or you don't according to the law, and if you have a legal copy then you should be able to produce it, and if you've been sharing it, even just within the SA polices own network it's still a crime.

There's nothing illegal about making a "backup". Who say that isn't what they were doing?

As for sharing it, there is no evidence whatsoever that suggest they were.

Seems the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft doesn't think that "backups" are legit.

can I make a copy of a DVD…
I’ve purchased, hired, borrowed or was given to me?
no: buying or hiring a DVD does not mean you own the
rights to what’s recorded on it so it’s not ok to make a copy
of all or part it. Same goes for a DVD you hire, borrow or
that’s given to you

by recording it on a computer, MP player or other device?
no: copying all or part of a copyright protected DVD onto a
computer or something like an MP player or mobile phone is
not permitted under copyright law

http://www.afact.org.au/factsheets/A...des_Movies.pdf

[Skiz]

Of course they don't.

[lee551]

Of course they don't.

so weren't they still breaking the law regardless?

[Skiz]

That was a bit of sarcasm there.

Though I will say that doing a bit more research on this it would appear my research lead me to an aged document.

Here is an up to date article which details Aussie law rather well - http://www.dansdata.com/gz079.htm