The Australian Federal Court have backed several internet service providers (ISP) around the country as the US film studio behind the acclaimed Dallas Buyers Club will have to pay a $600,000 bond before it can send invoices demanding damages to Australians allegedly downloaded the film illegally.
After it was found in April that a number of ISP's were forced to hand over user details of those who allegedly downloaded the 2013 drama movie, the federal court has rejected a number of the film studio's reasons for seeking compensation.
As The Guardian reports, Justice Nye Perram said that the film studio could not claim damages based on the downloads of torrent sites because the idea was "so surreal as to not be taken seriously" and that the number of downloads would be "astronomical".
The court will however allow the studio to send invoices to those who downloaded the film, as long as it only charges what it would cost for a legitimate copy of the movie.
The move is considered a massive win for internet service providers as it looks to put a stop to "speculative invoicing" whereby letters are sent to alleged illegal downloaders demanding payment.
