A few readers have sent this over showing their extreme concern on the consequences this decision could have over everyone's internet privacy rights. While the RIAA has been following closely all P2P networks, we had also heard of this individual user approach, instead of just shutting down the networks alone, any of us could be the victims. I'm not happy either with this decision...
Recording companies won a victory in their fight against online piracy on Tuesday when a U.S. court ordered Verizon Communications to turn over the name of a customer suspected of downloading more than 600 songs in one day over the Internet.
U.S. District Judge John Bates said Verizon must cooperate with recording industry efforts to track down online song swappers, rejecting the telecommunications giant's assertion that such a move would violate customer privacy and turn it into an online copyright cop.
Verizon said it would appeal the decision.
The case could set an important precedent as the recording industry asks schools, businesses and Internet providers to help them track down individuals who they believe are cutting into CD sales by trading digital songs through "peer to peer" services like Kazaa.