HA! Take that RIAA!!
Dec. 19th, 2003 01:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rosebeeYou know how the RIAA has been sending subpoenas to the ISPs of suspected file-swappers, telling them to release the identity of their subscribers? Verizon Communications was one of the first, (Edit: if not the only SBC Communications, Charter Communications, and the ACLU have also filed legal challenges) who challenged the RIAA and said 'no, we don't think we should have to do this'. So there was a lawsuit. Verizon lost. Verizon. appealed. Verizon WON!
A 3-person panel of the District of Columbia appeals court *unanimously* said the 1998 DMCA did not allow copyright holders to subpoena customer names from ISPs without filing a formal lawsuit.
According to this article, the ruling will likely force the RIAA to start filing "John Doe" lawsuits against unnamed defendants in order to subpoena ISPs to identify suspected file-swappers. In the article, Verizon's lawyer said the John Doe process will take more time, and will give ISP subscribers with much stronger legal protection.
find techtv's better summary article here
::grins::
::crosses fingers that Congress won't get strong-armed into rewriting the DMCA to apply to P2P networks::
A 3-person panel of the District of Columbia appeals court *unanimously* said the 1998 DMCA did not allow copyright holders to subpoena customer names from ISPs without filing a formal lawsuit.
According to this article, the ruling will likely force the RIAA to start filing "John Doe" lawsuits against unnamed defendants in order to subpoena ISPs to identify suspected file-swappers. In the article, Verizon's lawyer said the John Doe process will take more time, and will give ISP subscribers with much stronger legal protection.
find techtv's better summary article here
::grins::
::crosses fingers that Congress won't get strong-armed into rewriting the DMCA to apply to P2P networks::
