InternetNZ points to the Australasian Performing Rights Society/Mechanical Copyright Owners Society recording a 67 percent increase in revenue from paid downloads in 2007/8 after iTunes was launched. This is evidence that the problem may be righting itself, the organisation says.

Before any precipitate new law is enacted, its submission says wider debate is needed on the principle of copyright and the balance it creates between the rights of an original creator and "the interests of the wider community in propagation of ideas", the submission says. "We have not had that debate," InternetNZ says.

Assuming some measure is needed, it prefers a procedure that puts the emphasis on education rather than punishment. "It has been recognised by all involved that no system will stop infringement altogether. Steps which increase respect for the creativity of others are key," the organisation states.

The submission quotes figures from a survey conducted for the NZ Federation Against Copyright Theft last year, which found 70 percent of New Zealanders would stop infringement if they were sent an educational notice, whereas only 61 percent would respond in the same way if threatened with disconnection of their internet access.

InternetNZ expresses again its preference for a "notice-and-notice" regime, where the internet service provider is an information conduit and does not become actively involved in enforcement. "ISPs would receive notices from copyright owners, would match the details in those notices to their customers and would send educationally-focussed notices to them."