e.Digital Corporation (fka EDIG)

[philozarton]

Reuters
Verizon must reveal Internet song-swapper - judge
Tuesday January 21, 2:46 pm ET

WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (Reuters) - A federal court ordered Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - News) on Tuesday to turn over the name of a customer suspected of downloading songs over the Internet, handing a victory to recording companies in their fight against online piracy.

The recording industry asked Verizon last summer to reveal the name of a customer believed to have downloaded more than 600 songs in one day, but Verizon refused, saying that such a move would violate customer privacy and force Internet service providers to serve as the music industry's online policeman.

But U.S. Judge John Bates ordered Verizon to turn over the customer's name.

The suit was filed by the Recording Industry Association of America, which represents the five largest recording companies: AOL Time Warner's (NYSE:AOL - News) Warner Music; Sony Corp.'s (Tokyo:6758.T - News) Sony Music; Bertelsmann AG's(BERT.UL) BMG; Vivendi Universal's (NYSE:V - News) Universal Music Group; and EMI Group Plc. (London:EMI.L - News)