Telcos volunteer to help police piracy

FIVE of Australia's largest internet service providers have volunteered their help in policing infringements by their customers in a major reversal of tactics in the copyright wars.

The about-face comes just days before the High Court is due to hear an appeal by a group representing many of the largest entertainment industry rights holders in Australia against a Federal Court judgment in February that found telco iiNet was not responsible for copyright infringement by its clients.

Telecommunications industry group the Communications Alliance has released a proposal for a trial scheme under which it would send "education notices" to customers suspected of infringing copyright by uploading or downloading content such as movies, television shows, computer games and music.

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