The latest batch of leaked diplomatic cables covers a wide swathe of diplomatic topics. What you probably wouldn’t expect to find in there are cables showing that the US government is concerned about the NBN leading to more widespread piracy, as well as the MPAA being a prime mover behind the AFACT/iiNet copyright case.
ZDNet reports on one set of cables that detail the US Government’s concern regarding the implementation of the National Broadband network in relation to the case, noting that as a result of the case not going AFACT’s way, they’d be lobbying the government for legislative changes, and that
“In the meantime, the problem will persist and probably worsen with the advent of Australia’s high-speed National Broadband Network, as the speeds at which copyright theft can take place will literally multiply.”
There’s also a comment within the cables that this is indeed a high stakes ploy, with a quote stating that
“The hope for AFACT and the big studios was that a favourable decision would have established an international precedent that could have forced ISPs to tightly police the activities of their customers.”
Meanwhile, Delimiter reports on the cables (it’s not clear if it’s the same cable, or coincidental bunches, as Delimiter doesn’t link to them) and the link between AFACT, who took the action out against iiNet, and the Motion Picture Association Of America (MPAA). The MPAA is alleged to have been the behind the scenes partner in affairs, noting that
“AFACT and MPAA worked hard to get Village Roadshow and the Seven Network to agree to be the public Australian faces on the case to make it clear there are Australian equities at stake, and this isn’t just Hollywood ‘bullying some poor little Australian ISP’”