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Music Industry Subpoenas ISP Investigates Users At University
On July 15, 2003, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), a trade group for global recording industry companies, announced that it will be initiating copyright infringement lawsuits against individual computer users who engage in unlicensed on-line sharing and distribution of copyrighted material, primarily music files, on peer-to-peer networks including Kazaa and Grokster. Industry experts expect the filing of thousands of lawsuits, beginning as early as August, 2003.
The RIAA announcement was prompted by a ruling of the U.S. District of Columbia Court, in RIAA vs. Verizon Internet Services, Inc., in which the Court ordered Verizon to comply with subpoenas filed by the RIAA under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, (DMCA). The DMCA requires ISP's to provide copyright holders with information about suspected infringers, including their identity, when there is a good-faith reason for believing copyright is being violated. Privacy experts have criticized the DMCA saying it gives copyright holders too much power.
Verizon refused to comply with the January, 2003 ruling and asked the U.S District Court of Appeals to intervene pending a ruling on the merits of an appeal. However, on June 4, 2003, the Court of Appeals declined to suspend the order stating that the subpoena law does not violate constitutional norms, nor the computer users' right to free speech. Verizon plans to appeal.
RIAA attorneys are collecting evidence and sending out subpoenas to other Internet service providers, including colleges. Most recently, the RIAA has subpoenaed and received the names of students at Loyola University of Chicago who were suspected of offering copyrighted songs over the school's computer network. For additional information, visit:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;