An Australian timestamping service for creative work and everyday records

Who runs this Australian timestamping service

TimeBinder was founded by Inna Hall, an Australian lawyer, and James Butt, a software engineer with over 25 years of experience. Our About us page says Inna was admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland and High Court of Australia in 2013. Inna and James also created LawTram.com.au.

Our terms and conditions say they “are governed by the laws of Queensland, Australia.”

Is there a copyright register in Australia?

No. The Attorney-General’s Department says:

“Copyright protection is free and automatic in Australia.”

It also says:

“Copyright does not protect ideas or information, only the original expression of ideas or information.”

and warns:

“Some websites offer copyright protection or to ‘register’ copyright for a fee.”

So you don’t need to register anything to have copyright, and a paid “registration” from a private website isn’t a government register (see copyright in Australia). What helps if there’s ever a dispute is good dated records. A timestamp is one of those records. It isn’t a registration, and it doesn’t create or confirm copyright.

This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your situation, speak to a lawyer in your country.

What Australians timestamp

People use TimeBinder for files whose date might matter later:

• Songs and demos. Recordings, stems and lyric sheets before you share them. See how to copyright a song in Australia.
• Manuscripts. Chapters and drafts before they go to an agent or a competition. See manuscript timestamping.
• Designs. Concepts and revision rounds before they go to a client. See design file timestamping.
• Code. Releases and key commits. See source code timestamping.
• Business ideas. A pitch deck or plan before a meeting. See how to protect a business idea in Australia.
• Queensland rental photos. Entry and exit condition report photos. See entry condition report photos (QLD) and exit condition report photos (QLD).

What a TimeBind shows, and what it doesn’t

A hash is a short code calculated from the file’s exact contents. Change one byte and the hash changes. TimeBinder calculates it in your browser, and the file never leaves your device.

A TimeBind can help you show:

• that this exact file existed no later than the time recorded on the Bitcoin blockchain
• that a file shown later still matches its fingerprint

There are two ways to anchor a TimeBind:

• Pooled (1 Token). Your fingerprint is grouped with other users’ in one shared Bitcoin entry, usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity. It’s checked through TimeBinder. The Free plan’s monthly Token covers one Pooled TimeBind.
• ASAP (3 Tokens). It gets its own Bitcoin transaction, sent straight away. It can be checked independently with the certificate and the Bitcoin blockchain, without relying on TimeBinder.

Other Australian options, and how they differ

AWG Script Registration. The Australian Writers’ Guild runs a script registration service. Its page says “Registration is available to current financial members of the Guild only.” The fee is “$27.50 including GST per property”, and the Guild stores the registered script digitally for ten years. It also accepts synopses, outlines and treatments. The Guild says plainly: “Registration does not confer copyright.” If you’re an AWG member writing for the screen, it’s a sensible option, and you can use it as well as a timestamp. The main differences are that AWG keeps a copy of your script, while TimeBinder never sees your file, and that TimeBinder works for any file type.

A Justice of the Peace. A JP can witness a statutory declaration in which you describe what you made and when, and can certify copies of documents. That’s a different record from a timestamp, and many people use both. See Justice of the Peace vs a timestamp.

Your own dated records. Emails to yourself, cloud version history, invoices and messages to clients all help. Keep them, whatever else you use.

When TimeBinder isn’t the right tool

• You want a registration with a guild or registry that keeps a copy. AWG Script Registration does that for members’ scripts.
• You need someone to witness your signature or certify a copy. That’s a JP’s job.
• You need a registered right such as a patent, trade mark or design. Those go through IP Australia, and a timestamp doesn’t replace them.
• You want a bill in Australian dollars. TimeBinder charges in US dollars.
• You’ll only use Pooled TimeBinds but need a record that can be checked without TimeBinder. Use ASAP.

Pricing (US dollars, by card)

All TimeBinder prices are in US dollars, paid by credit or debit card through Stripe. You don’t need Bitcoin or a crypto wallet. From the pricing page:

• Free: $0. The Free plan includes 1 Token every month (1 Pooled TimeBind). No credit card required. The Free plan’s monthly Token doesn’t roll over.
• Extra Tokens, no plan needed: 1 for $5, 3 for $15 or 9 for $40. Tokens you buy never expire.
• Essential: $20 a month for 5 Tokens. Expert: $50 a month for 15 Tokens. Both replace the Free plan’s monthly Token, unused Tokens roll over every month, and you can cancel any time.
• Enterprise: custom Token limits and dedicated support. Service terms for every plan are set out in the TimeBinder Terms and Conditions.

Each TimeBind holds up to 10 files, and checking a TimeBind is free.