Verizon resists labels' effort to pry name of "illegal" file swapper

Online sharing & "piracy"
Verizon resists labels' effort to pry name of "illegal" file swapper
By Newshare Staff
Sep 5, 2002, 14:40

Verizon is challenging the record industry, saying it won't reveal the name of a Verizon DSL Internet customer who is alleged to be a major illegal music file-sharer.

In a case which some groups think the recording industry first filed a legal motion seeking to force Verizon, the giant U.S. phone and Internet provider, to make public the name of one of its subscribers which the labels think is guilty of 'significant music piracy.'

"We think the subpoena is not valid since [the songs] are not stored on our network," said Eric Rabe, a Verizon spokesman. "While we think copyright owners have a right to their property, we also think customers have privacy rights that should also be maintained."

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