Canadian Labels Ask Court to Make ISPs Reveal Song-Swappers' Identities

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 17, 2004 - 8:58am.

Toronto -- The Canadian record industry has made good on its promise to target individual file-swappers with copyright infringement claims, asking a federal court to compel a number of Internet service providers to turn over the identities of 29 subscribers it believes are large-scale music pirates. The Canadian Record Industry Association (CRIA), which represents labels including the Canadian units of EMI and Universal, asked the court to compel Internet service providers Bell/Sympatico, Telus, Videotron, Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications to reveal specific subscribers' identities. "We see this as progress in due legal process that will in the end, allow us to file suits against flagrant copyright infringers," said CRIA general counsel Richard Pfohl. At least one Canadian ISP said it will challenge the CRIA's actions. "We intend to ask the court to preserve the privacy of our customers ... (and) we believe this application amounts to a civil search warrant," Shaw Communications CEO Jim Shaw told Reuters.
http://www.cria.ca/news/cria_16feb04.htm
http://news.com.com/2100-1027-5159126.html
http://makeashorterlink.com/?C3F012177