When copyright holders observe an IP address sharing unauthorized content in a BitTorrent swarm, they need to match that IP address to a real-life name and physical address if they want to take things any further.
Since there are no online resources that can reliably supply that information, copyright lawsuits – especially those aimed at extracting a cash settlement from a target – are often filed against ‘John Doe’ defendants. As such cases progress, rightsholders can request permission to obtain personal details from ISPs, which judges may agree to – or not.
However, while putting these matters before a judge is one option, another route exists. It requires no reasoned consideration by a judge as to whether such disclosure is the appropriate course of action because it bypasses the judge completely.
Controversial: DMCA Subpoenas Target Consumer ISP
So-called DMCA subpoenas are regularly used by anti-piracy groups in order to obtain the personal details of those who…
You can read the full Torrent Freak article here
