Opportunities and challenges to connecting creators and consumers online

Over the past decade Australia's digital economy has become a key driver of national productivity, employment and social well-being. The online landscape is providing exciting new ways for Australians to connect with each other and for businesses to deliver new, more efficient and better services to consumers. Within this digital revolution, Australia's copyright industries play a significant role in generating the content carried through the digital pipelines. These industries are at the frontline of innovation as they develop new content, new businesses and business models to deliver entertainment and information to Australian consumers. However, while the Internet, and particularly the promise of the National Broadband Network, brings with it great opportunity, it also carries many challenges. This paper discusses the challenge of online copyright theft to ongoing Australian innovation and culture and considers possible solutions that may materialise in the near future, particularly on the back of recent positive announcements in the United States.