Legal Question in Technology Law in Australia

Encrypted Satellite Signals

Hi,

Was wondering about australian laws regarding encrypted satellite signals, is it illegal to intercept a broadcast satellite signal and decrypt it? For example Foxtel (Pay Tv Channels) is broadcasted ,if i have the technology can i intercept it?

Many thanks,

George


Asked on 2/17/08, 6:35 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Jeremy Malcolm iLaw

Re: Encrypted Satellite Signals

Part VAA of our Copyright Act applies to this. The relevant section is section 135ASI which was amended in 2006 and prohibits you from doing anything that results in giving you access to a pay TV broadcast. The mere act of watching or listening to the broadcast is not illegal, however. This is a pretty fine distinction but it boils down to setting up a device to decrypt signals (which is illegal) or switching on the device to watch the signals (which is not).

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Answered on 2/18/08, 7:23 pm


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