Court Rules for Record Industry in Net Case

In a statement following the decision's release, RIAA President Cary Sherman said it "validates our interpretation of the law. The illegal distribution of music on the Internet is a serious issue for musicians, songwriters and other copyright owners, and the record companies have made great strides in addressing this problem by educating consumers and providing them with legitimate alternatives. ... We look forward to contacting the account holder whose identity we were seeking, so we can let them know that what they are doing is illegal."

In its own comment, Verizon said, "The court's decision ... opens the door for anyone who makes a mere allegation of copyright infringement to gain complete access to private subscriber information without the due process protections afforded by the courts. This case will have a chilling effect on private communications, such as e-mail, surfing the Internet or the sending of files between private parties. Verizon is not attempting to shield customers who break copyright laws. We are, however, seeking to protect the fundamental privacy and due process rights that should be afforded to our customers and all Internet users."

Joe Kraus, co-founder of the consumer rights group DigitalConsumer.org, also took issue with the decision. "It is real trouble for consumer privacy. I think that if this decision is allowed to stand, the fact that there is no necessary judicial review, and that consumers' information is required to be automatically turned over to the RIAA merely on the accusation of wrongdoing, is a dangerous precedent."

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