Our Culture,
Our Rights.

Right now, the Australian Government is considering whether to let technology companies mine Australian content, culture media, art and music for free.

Have
your say

What would the impact be?

Artists and creatives would lose control of their work.

A Text and Data Mining exception would allow works to be copied and analysed without consent, even if used for commercial purposes.


There would be no requirement to pay Artists for their work.

The Text and Data Mining proposal includes no clear requirements for payment, royalties, or licensing, despite potentially significant commercial value.



The value of creative work in the age of AI would suffer.

The reform could reduce the licensing value of creative works by allowing broad, free use for AI training - without contractual agreement.



What’s going on?

The Productivity Commission (an Australian Government body) has released an interim report recommending that Australia consider introducing a Text and Data Mining (TDM) exception to the Copyright Act 1968. This change could allow AI developers and technology companies to use copyrighted content without permission or payment, to train artificial intelligence models. 


A decision hasn’t been made, the government is seeking public submissions by September 15 (that’s bloody soon)!

What is a Text
and Data Mining Exception?

A Text and Data Mining (TDM) exception is a proposed legal change that would allow technology companies  such as AI developers  to collect, copy and analyse large volumes of copyrighted content.


An exception allows rapid and unchecked use of data - including creative works like music, art, journalism, writing and film - to train models, without the technology companies necessarily paying for it.  Technology companies argue this is needed for advancement of Large Language Models.  


If adopted, this could allow tech companies to use a wide range of protected creative works  including music, images, writing, film and online content for AI training or research, without needing to obtain a licence or pay the rights-holder. 

FAQS

  • The Copyright Act 1968 grants exclusive rights to creators over the reproduction, communication, and adaptation of their work. This includes:

    • Music and lyrics

    • Screenplays and scripts

    • Books and journalism

    • Paintings, designs, and photographs

    • Podcasts, films, and sound recordings

    • Broadcasts and performances

    • Social media and digital content

    • Software and code

    These rights ensure creators can control the use and commercialisation of their work.ext goes here

  • A Text and Data Mining (TDM) exception is a proposed legal change that would allow technology companies  such as AI developers  to collect, copy and analyse large volumes of copyrighted content.

    An exception allows rapid and unchecked use of data - including creative works like music, art, journalism, writing and film - to train models, without the technology companies necessarily paying for it.  Technology companies argue this is needed for advancement of Large Language Models. 

    • Musicians, composers, and producers

    • Authors, poets, and journalists

    • Filmmakers, screenwriters, and actors

    • Designers, illustrators, and visual artists

    • Digital content creators and influencers

    • Photographers and digital media producers

    • Independent publishers and small studios

    • First Nations creators and cultural custodians

    • Academics and educators

Sign up