Australia-based Isentia Accused Of Criminal Copyright Violations In Thailand

Social media monitoring firm Isentia (ASX:ISD), an Australia-based company with offices across Asia, has run afoul of authorities in Thailand. The company faces criminal charges for copying contents from Matichon, Khaosod, Prachachat and Matichon Weekly, and distributing those materials to its clients in an unauthorized paid service.

These media are subsidiaries of Thailand’s Matichon Publishing Group. Matichon Public Company Limited and its subsidiary, Khao Sod Company Limited, as Plaintiffs have filed a criminal case to The Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court in Thailand, Black case no. Aor 336/2562 and Black case Aor 337/2562 to bring charges against iSentia Bangkok Company Limited and iSentia Monitoring Services (Thailand) Company Limited including their directors for the commercial copyright infringement.

The court has determined the preliminary examination or hearing dates of Khao Sod case lawsuit on 15 July 2019 and of Matichon on 22 July 2019. In Thailand, copyright infringement of this nature constitutes a criminal offense and not a civil offense.

Interestingly, while Isentia faces this negative copyright news in Asia, it received favorable copyright news from Australia a few weeks ago. Media report that , “The company today, on 24th April 2019, announced that the Copyright Tribunal of Australia on 23rd April 2019, made orders in relation to the interim arrangements to apply pending the outcome of its subsidiary, Isentia Pty Limited’s substantive application to the Copyright Tribunal regarding the terms of its Copyright Agency Ltd (CAL) licence.”

This news from Australia means Isentia can normalize its copyright fees to a level more standard with its competitors in Australia marketplace.