Music industry watch

RIAA cannot force ISPs to identify their customers

Ha! The latest RIAA setback was just dealt from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia: The RIAA cannot force ISPs to turn over the identity of filesharers. Get this:

U.S. District Judge John D. Bates had approved use of the subpoenas, forcing Verizon Communications Inc. to turn over names and addresses for at least four Internet subscribers. Since then, Verizon has identified dozens of its other subscribers to music industry lawyers.

The appeals court said one of the arguments by the Recording Industry Association of America "borders upon the silly," rejecting the trade group's claims that Verizon was responsible for downloaded music because such data files traverse its network.

I mused about this in my entry Dead end for the RIAA?, wondering what would happen if this got overturned. The whole sue the world program hinges on the ability to expose users via the ISP. Its technically not possible otherwise -- now what RIAA?

In the same vein, the Dutch supreme court rules Kazaa to be legal. BUMA Stemra (the dutch RIAA) is now going to persue end users. Another country, another dead end coming up.

I thought all this was interesting a year ago. Ha! It keeps getting better and better!

Posted by Mayhem at December 19, 2003 03:20 PM