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Well, they did manage to spare a little time to blast Danoz Direct's "abtronic"...

The ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Comission) http://www.accc.gov.au has been lobbying for the right of DVD and Sony Playstation owners to import discs from other regions, see: ACCC Defends the Rights of Playstation Owners

I know that in the case of Playstation discs, Sony won a case recently that basically has made modding Playstations in Australia for playing any kind of disc (pirate or import) illegal.
But the DVD Region code issue has been in the press here alot, IANAL but I believe due to the actions of the ACCC, Multi region DVD players here are quite common in the retail market to give consumers choice, I guess its up to the DVD Player manifacturer weather they include the feature or not.

Personally my PHILIPS DVD-707 is modded All region from the remote and I own a number of Region 1 titles that just arent available locally here.
I'm all for import CD's too, alot of Japanese releases come with extra tracks and collectors packaging that if imports were banned, we'd never get to see (legally).


To a point as a consumer, I dont mind if the disc costs me the same as here or even a bit extra, but we should get the choice to buy the product we want, expecially if the product offers features not included on the domestic release.

Jim.

Their press release covering this ruling is headlined Consumers Lose in Playstation Decision, which hardly sounds conciliatory.

Maybe the ACCC will see it that way as well.
The ACCC on fake domain registration:
17 October 2002 Internet Domain Name Resellers Warned Against Misleading, Deceptive Conduct

The ACCC has some serious teeth.

A few tech related things the ACCC has gotten into over the last 18 months :

27 June 2003 ACCC Issues New Accounting Separation Rules for Telstra
26 March 2003 Consumers and Small Business Set to Gain from Lower Software Prices
21 February 2003 ACCC to Hold Public Inquiry into Internet Interconnection Services
20 December 2002 Full Federal Court Disapproves of Dell's Earlier Price Advertising
22 November 2002 ACCC Clears But Will Monitor Airline E-Commerce Joint Venture
17 October 2002 Internet Domain Name Resellers Warned Against Misleading, Deceptive Conduct
# 17 September 2002 ACCC Institutes Against Dodo Internet Pty Ltd
4 July 2002 Court Orders Dell to Publish Corrective Advertisements

I like the last three for some reason :
29 July 2002 Game Over for Sony Playstation
19 April 2002 ACCC Leans Toward Intervention on Line Sharing, Tells Telstra to Get On With It
6 March 2002 Threats to C.D. Supplies Cost Record Companies $1M

Well , that's my link-whoring for today!

The ACCC has some serious teeth.

A few tech related things the ACCC has gotten into over the last 18 months :

27 June 2003 ACCC Issues New Accounting Separation Rules for Telstra
26 March 2003 Consumers and Small Business Set to Gain from Lower Software Prices
21 February 2003 ACCC to Hold Public Inquiry into Internet Interconnection Services
20 December 2002 Full Federal Court Disapproves of Dell's Earlier Price Advertising
22 November 2002 ACCC Clears But Will Monitor Airline E-Commerce Joint Venture
17 October 2002 Internet Domain Name Resellers Warned Against Misleading, Deceptive Conduct
# 17 September 2002 ACCC Institutes Against Dodo Internet Pty Ltd
4 July 2002 Court Orders Dell to Publish Corrective Advertisements

I like the last three for some reason :
29 July 2002 Game Over for Sony Playstation
19 April 2002 ACCC Leans Toward Intervention on Line Sharing, Tells Telstra to Get On With It
6 March 2002 Threats to C.D. Supplies Cost Record Companies $1M

Well , that's my link-whoring for today!

The ACCC has some serious teeth.

A few tech related things the ACCC has gotten into over the last 18 months :

27 June 2003 ACCC Issues New Accounting Separation Rules for Telstra
26 March 2003 Consumers and Small Business Set to Gain from Lower Software Prices
21 February 2003 ACCC to Hold Public Inquiry into Internet Interconnection Services
20 December 2002 Full Federal Court Disapproves of Dell's Earlier Price Advertising
22 November 2002 ACCC Clears But Will Monitor Airline E-Commerce Joint Venture
17 October 2002 Internet Domain Name Resellers Warned Against Misleading, Deceptive Conduct
# 17 September 2002 ACCC Institutes Against Dodo Internet Pty Ltd
4 July 2002 Court Orders Dell to Publish Corrective Advertisements

I like the last three for some reason :
29 July 2002 Game Over for Sony Playstation
19 April 2002 ACCC Leans Toward Intervention on Line Sharing, Tells Telstra to Get On With It
6 March 2002 Threats to C.D. Supplies Cost Record Companies $1M

Well , that's my link-whoring for today!

The ACCC has some serious teeth.

A few tech related things the ACCC has gotten into over the last 18 months :

27 June 2003 ACCC Issues New Accounting Separation Rules for Telstra
26 March 2003 Consumers and Small Business Set to Gain from Lower Software Prices
21 February 2003 ACCC to Hold Public Inquiry into Internet Interconnection Services
20 December 2002 Full Federal Court Disapproves of Dell's Earlier Price Advertising
22 November 2002 ACCC Clears But Will Monitor Airline E-Commerce Joint Venture
17 October 2002 Internet Domain Name Resellers Warned Against Misleading, Deceptive Conduct
# 17 September 2002 ACCC Institutes Against Dodo Internet Pty Ltd
4 July 2002 Court Orders Dell to Publish Corrective Advertisements

I like the last three for some reason :
29 July 2002 Game Over for Sony Playstation
19 April 2002 ACCC Leans Toward Intervention on Line Sharing, Tells Telstra to Get On With It
6 March 2002 Threats to C.D. Supplies Cost Record Companies $1M

Well , that's my link-whoring for today!

The ACCC has some serious teeth.

A few tech related things the ACCC has gotten into over the last 18 months :

27 June 2003 ACCC Issues New Accounting Separation Rules for Telstra
26 March 2003 Consumers and Small Business Set to Gain from Lower Software Prices
21 February 2003 ACCC to Hold Public Inquiry into Internet Interconnection Services
20 December 2002 Full Federal Court Disapproves of Dell's Earlier Price Advertising
22 November 2002 ACCC Clears But Will Monitor Airline E-Commerce Joint Venture
17 October 2002 Internet Domain Name Resellers Warned Against Misleading, Deceptive Conduct
# 17 September 2002 ACCC Institutes Against Dodo Internet Pty Ltd
4 July 2002 Court Orders Dell to Publish Corrective Advertisements

I like the last three for some reason :
29 July 2002 Game Over for Sony Playstation
19 April 2002 ACCC Leans Toward Intervention on Line Sharing, Tells Telstra to Get On With It
6 March 2002 Threats to C.D. Supplies Cost Record Companies $1M

Well , that's my link-whoring for today!

The ACCC has some serious teeth.

A few tech related things the ACCC has gotten into over the last 18 months :

27 June 2003 ACCC Issues New Accounting Separation Rules for Telstra
26 March 2003 Consumers and Small Business Set to Gain from Lower Software Prices
21 February 2003 ACCC to Hold Public Inquiry into Internet Interconnection Services
20 December 2002 Full Federal Court Disapproves of Dell's Earlier Price Advertising
22 November 2002 ACCC Clears But Will Monitor Airline E-Commerce Joint Venture
17 October 2002 Internet Domain Name Resellers Warned Against Misleading, Deceptive Conduct
# 17 September 2002 ACCC Institutes Against Dodo Internet Pty Ltd
4 July 2002 Court Orders Dell to Publish Corrective Advertisements

I like the last three for some reason :
29 July 2002 Game Over for Sony Playstation
19 April 2002 ACCC Leans Toward Intervention on Line Sharing, Tells Telstra to Get On With It
6 March 2002 Threats to C.D. Supplies Cost Record Companies $1M

Well , that's my link-whoring for today!

The ACCC has some serious teeth.

A few tech related things the ACCC has gotten into over the last 18 months :

27 June 2003 ACCC Issues New Accounting Separation Rules for Telstra
26 March 2003 Consumers and Small Business Set to Gain from Lower Software Prices
21 February 2003 ACCC to Hold Public Inquiry into Internet Interconnection Services
20 December 2002 Full Federal Court Disapproves of Dell's Earlier Price Advertising
22 November 2002 ACCC Clears But Will Monitor Airline E-Commerce Joint Venture
17 October 2002 Internet Domain Name Resellers Warned Against Misleading, Deceptive Conduct
# 17 September 2002 ACCC Institutes Against Dodo Internet Pty Ltd
4 July 2002 Court Orders Dell to Publish Corrective Advertisements

I like the last three for some reason :
29 July 2002 Game Over for Sony Playstation
19 April 2002 ACCC Leans Toward Intervention on Line Sharing, Tells Telstra to Get On With It
6 March 2002 Threats to C.D. Supplies Cost Record Companies $1M

Well , that's my link-whoring for today!

The ACCC has some serious teeth.

A few tech related things the ACCC has gotten into over the last 18 months :

27 June 2003 ACCC Issues New Accounting Separation Rules for Telstra
26 March 2003 Consumers and Small Business Set to Gain from Lower Software Prices
21 February 2003 ACCC to Hold Public Inquiry into Internet Interconnection Services
20 December 2002 Full Federal Court Disapproves of Dell's Earlier Price Advertising
22 November 2002 ACCC Clears But Will Monitor Airline E-Commerce Joint Venture
17 October 2002 Internet Domain Name Resellers Warned Against Misleading, Deceptive Conduct
# 17 September 2002 ACCC Institutes Against Dodo Internet Pty Ltd
4 July 2002 Court Orders Dell to Publish Corrective Advertisements

I like the last three for some reason :
29 July 2002 Game Over for Sony Playstation
19 April 2002 ACCC Leans Toward Intervention on Line Sharing, Tells Telstra to Get On With It
6 March 2002 Threats to C.D. Supplies Cost Record Companies $1M

Well , that's my link-whoring for today!

The ACCC has some serious teeth.

A few tech related things the ACCC has gotten into over the last 18 months :

27 June 2003 ACCC Issues New Accounting Separation Rules for Telstra
26 March 2003 Consumers and Small Business Set to Gain from Lower Software Prices
21 February 2003 ACCC to Hold Public Inquiry into Internet Interconnection Services
20 December 2002 Full Federal Court Disapproves of Dell's Earlier Price Advertising
22 November 2002 ACCC Clears But Will Monitor Airline E-Commerce Joint Venture
17 October 2002 Internet Domain Name Resellers Warned Against Misleading, Deceptive Conduct
# 17 September 2002 ACCC Institutes Against Dodo Internet Pty Ltd
4 July 2002 Court Orders Dell to Publish Corrective Advertisements

I like the last three for some reason :
29 July 2002 Game Over for Sony Playstation
19 April 2002 ACCC Leans Toward Intervention on Line Sharing, Tells Telstra to Get On With It
6 March 2002 Threats to C.D. Supplies Cost Record Companies $1M

Well , that's my link-whoring for today!

The ACCC has some serious teeth.

A few tech related things the ACCC has gotten into over the last 18 months :

27 June 2003 ACCC Issues New Accounting Separation Rules for Telstra
26 March 2003 Consumers and Small Business Set to Gain from Lower Software Prices
21 February 2003 ACCC to Hold Public Inquiry into Internet Interconnection Services
20 December 2002 Full Federal Court Disapproves of Dell's Earlier Price Advertising
22 November 2002 ACCC Clears But Will Monitor Airline E-Commerce Joint Venture
17 October 2002 Internet Domain Name Resellers Warned Against Misleading, Deceptive Conduct
# 17 September 2002 ACCC Institutes Against Dodo Internet Pty Ltd
4 July 2002 Court Orders Dell to Publish Corrective Advertisements

I like the last three for some reason :
29 July 2002 Game Over for Sony Playstation
19 April 2002 ACCC Leans Toward Intervention on Line Sharing, Tells Telstra to Get On With It
6 March 2002 Threats to C.D. Supplies Cost Record Companies $1M

Well , that's my link-whoring for today!

The ACCC has some serious teeth.

A few tech related things the ACCC has gotten into over the last 18 months :

27 June 2003 ACCC Issues New Accounting Separation Rules for Telstra
26 March 2003 Consumers and Small Business Set to Gain from Lower Software Prices
21 February 2003 ACCC to Hold Public Inquiry into Internet Interconnection Services
20 December 2002 Full Federal Court Disapproves of Dell's Earlier Price Advertising
22 November 2002 ACCC Clears But Will Monitor Airline E-Commerce Joint Venture
17 October 2002 Internet Domain Name Resellers Warned Against Misleading, Deceptive Conduct
# 17 September 2002 ACCC Institutes Against Dodo Internet Pty Ltd
4 July 2002 Court Orders Dell to Publish Corrective Advertisements

I like the last three for some reason :
29 July 2002 Game Over for Sony Playstation
19 April 2002 ACCC Leans Toward Intervention on Line Sharing, Tells Telstra to Get On With It
6 March 2002 Threats to C.D. Supplies Cost Record Companies $1M

Well , that's my link-whoring for today!

Or if it's not clearly labelled as DRM, set your government onto them...

• Previous Slashdot Article,
• The ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commision) media release.

Some games are never released in Australia or take a long time to come her. Althhough at the moment it does look like we will be getting all of the games that can be played on-line their is no requirement of Microsofts part to continue this trend and the idea that just because were not in America should mean we can't play a certain game on-line is ridiculous and Microsoft should stop been such control freaks.

--

nich

The ACCC is acting on these in Australia as there are a few companies who are allegedly doing the same. ACCC have announced action against Internet Name Group, and are collecting complaints against other companies, such as Internet Registrations Australia who are also allegedly conducting these operations. If you've been stung by any of these groups in Australia then the ACCC may be interested in hearing from you.

The ACCC is acting on these in Australia as there are a few companies who are allegedly doing the same. ACCC have announced action against Internet Name Group, and are collecting complaints against other companies, such as Internet Registrations Australia who are also allegedly conducting these operations. If you've been stung by any of these groups in Australia then the ACCC may be interested in hearing from you.

Hmm.. lets look at some facts.

There are only about 20 million people in australia. I can get CD's (if I wanted to - *snort*) for around AU$25. Dividing into $70M gives approximately 2.8 million CD's a year.

Does that mean that a tenth of the population (that's *2,000,000* people) copied a CD or two last year?

Or a hundredth of the population copied 15 CD's last year? That's still 200,000 people. That's a lot of people with access to a burner and the inclination to copy a CD that they already have in their possession somehow. I'm unsure if the music industry these days has enough interesting content left for 200,000 people to do this.

So,

It would appear from this that it's not really the "normal" people, it's something (or somebody) else - the people with 75 CD burners in the garage going wholesale, the tonnes of pirated CD's being imported etc, hell, they still might be mad about the
$1M slap they got from the ACCC about the threats and standover tactics they used on music shops legally importing CD's. The problem I have with soundbites like that is whilst the guy with the garage full of burners is illegally copying for sure, the Industry is (in this case) implying the total, present $70M-a-year loss comes from the everyday person, and also implies that this will go up from all those criminals who come across a vendo-CD-Burner and decide to copy a CD.

Yes, the piracy figure will probably go up. But when you're throwing $70,000,000 figures around, it's very easy to for the general public to go, "Wow! seventy million! That's a lot! And there's going to be more piracy? So it's going to be what, a hundred million when these things become widespread?", when in all likelyhood, it'll be something like $75M or so. (Five million dollars is 200,000 CD's, remember)

It's just the usual FUD - plain and simple.

Professor Fels highlighted a comment from Justice Hill, in his findings, that: 'The dire predictions of reduced promotion through to reduced production and ultimate market failure have simply not happened. If anything, the evidence shows a continued increase in titles, promotion and production and at the same time at lower prices'.

"The ACCC is contending that a multi-national company, Sony Computer Entertainment, is moving in this particular case to prevent Australian consumers from reaping the benefits of globalisation" -- Professor Allan Fels, ACCC Chairman

The full text of the official press release from the ACCC is here. I'm quite impressed. It's obvious they have done their homework on this one, mentioning how it differs from the PAL/NTSC/SECAM problems.

IIRC from tonights news, at the press conference, Professor Fels described DVDCA as an international cartel. In Australia, Professor Fels is viewed in very high regard by both the public and the media (who allways utilize him to help nail the bad guys in the current affairs shows). The news report was totally one-sided in support of this action (well, are there two sides?). I wonder if they can bring DeCSS into this (forcing consumers to buy unnessecary expensive software to play dvds on their computer (in trying to stop free alternatives))?