Slashdot Mirror
Judge Allows Subpoenas For Internet Users
crimeandpunishment writes "A federal judge has ruled that the company holding a movie copyright can subpoena the names of people who are accused of illegally downloading and distributing the film. The judge ruled that courts have maintained that once people convey subscriber information to their Internet service providers, they no longer have an expectation of privacy."
My god man, have you tried thinking before writing?
Common carrier status means that the ISP is not liable for the actions of its customers. That in any legal action the customers would be the ones on the receiving end of a lawsuit or criminal conviction. Rather than whittling away at common carrier status THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT COMMON CARRIER status is.
I also suspect that you don't know what whittling it, but I'll let it go as that is merely the tip of the iceberg that is your stupidity.
Slashdot: where don knuth is an idiot because he cant grasp the awesome power of php
If your call records are subpoenaed... absolutely.
They can subpoena your phone records from your service provider. How is this any different?
If you're infringing or breaking the law and someone has adequate proof of such, then I don't see where the problem is. You may be opposed to the law, but that doesn't change the fact that they can sue your ass and subpoena information.
You're right to privacy goes out the door once you're breaking the law. After that, they can get warrants and subpoenas to invade your privacy in any number of ways.
Law enforcement can subpoena for your phone records if you've been accused a breaking a criminal law. This ruling is saying a Privately held company that is accusing you of committing a civil infraction can now subpoena for your information.
Law enforcement has a right, as we've given any hopes of privacy from them away years ago. A private company however should not have the right to start subpoena issuing based of their "investigation" work we've seen thus far. Case in point: That old lady that had been sued by the RIAA a couple years ago that didn't even have a computer. or RIAA suing the dead