Moviemakers' Demand for ISP Customers' IDs In Infringement Suits Should be Quashed, Argue Rights Groups

A copyright holder can't just randomly rummage around an Internet service provider's logs of its customers' online activities with the vague hope of somehow finding those too cheap to pay for their entertainment, a group of public interest lawyers argued June 30 in a DC court.

American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Public Citizen say protecting everyday Internet users' online privacy and rights through an orderly legal protocol may not be as dramatic as the plot line for Mystic River, but it's the same idea: Justice can't be served without a methodical and well-thought-out investigative and legal process. Attempts to shortcut the checks and balances can often ensnarl people who have nothing to do with the infraction, backfire and result in further injustice.