Kiwi three strikes law closes on first victims

New Zealand’s controversial ‘three strikes’ copyright crackdown law may be eliciting its first hefty fines from downloading culprits, since being introduced in September last year.

The Skynet law, which gives illegal downloaders two chances to cease and desist before issuing a third and final notice that attracts fines of up to NZ$15,000 from the Copyright Tribunal, has not until this stage been taken to the ‘third strike’ stage.

Early into its introduction into the New Zealand market around 75 illegal downloaders were issued notices by their ISPs, most of which came from music thieves and detected by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ).

Again those up for the fines have been clocked by RIANZ for illegal music downloads. However the movie content industry, which vociferously argued for the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Act, has yet to issue a single warning.

Vodafone and Telstra Clear have both confirmed that they have received notices from RIANZ to issue an “enforcement notices” to customers.

Telecom New Zealand has also confirmed that it has issued a third strike warning but then rescinded it “after Telecom supported the customer in understanding the process and making a valid challenge under the regime,” the NBR reported. ®