10 September 2012: ZDNet reports that the Australian Copyright Act’s strict exceptions framework is stifling productivity gains that could be worth AU$600 million per year, according to analyst firm Lateral Economics.
Exceptions detail very specific situations where restrictions on using copyright material do not apply. Any copying of copyright material that falls outside of those set exceptions is considered an infringement.
According to Lateral Economics, industries that are dependent on copyright exceptions, including telecommunications, education, and data-hosting companies, contributed AU$182 billion to the Australian economy in 2010. That equated to around 14 percent of the nation’s GDP.
Read the full story from ZDNet at http://www.zdnet.com/au/copyright-act-holding-back-au600m-in-productivity-gains-analyst-7000003943/