An Impotent Aegis: An economic analysis of the effectiveness of Australia’s anti-circumvention laws

Abstract

This paper examines the degree to which anti-circumvention laws meet their policy objectives of reducing piracy and protecting copyright owners’ interests. This paper develops economic models of ‘rational contravention’ and applies them to Australian anti-circumvention laws. These models are used to analyse the impact that the laws have on potential contraveners, and the extent to which these parties may be dissuaded from engaging in their illegal activities. The results indicate that Australian anti-circumvention laws will not deter a substantial number of contraveners, nor significantly improve copyright owner protection.