Judge: An IP-Address Doesn't Identify A Person (Or BitTorrent Pirate)

Torrent Freak:

A landmark ruling in one of the many mass-BitTorrent lawsuits in the US has delivered a severe blow to a thus far lucrative business. Among other things, New York Judge Gary Brown explains in great detail why an IP-address is not sufficient evidence to identify copyright infringers. According to the Judge this lack of specific evidence means that many alleged BitTorrent pirates have been wrongfully accused by copyright holders.

Read the whole story at Torrent Freak

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Comments

[waldopepper]

02:32 AM on 05/05/2012

"Judge: An IP-Address Doesn’t Identify a Person (or BitTorrent Pirate)"

BINGO! As I have been saying. That is already the law here in Canada. Prosecution is impossible unless a confession is obtained.

[Eyeful]

01:53 AM on 05/05/2012

Of course IP addresses are not "people". Neither are corporations.

[Sanders McGrillin]

08:46 PM on 05/04/2012

Wow, I was begining to think we didn't have any logical thinking intellegent judges in America anymore!!

but yeah, if your gonna download a lot of torrents that are copyrighted, use free wifi at your local mcdonalds...
: )

[mydangself]

03:17 PM on 05/04/2012

Finally a Judge who understands the technology well enough to not go along with the bs!

[westreal]

02:16 PM on 05/04/2012

Smart judge. Anyone can use your computer to download illegal files. It doesn't mean you did it yourself.

[kidjudas]

02:04 PM on 05/04/2012

Finally. A Judge that understands technology.

[Ichigo Kurosaki]

01:56 PM on 05/04/2012

I'm fairly certain this judge was not appointed by Jesus Bush. He has a functioning brain and actually understands technology, rather than allowing himself to led around by the nose by the RIAA/MPAA.

[javajava]

01:43 PM on 05/04/2012

yep..

[AndroidFTW]

01:22 PM on 05/04/2012

FOR ONCE AN INTELLIGENT JUDGE

[Billk29]

01:06 PM on 05/04/2012

This is also why photo radar tickets don't count against your drivers license record. They can't prove you were driving.

[rltballer]

12:46 PM on 05/04/2012

I agree with this judge but I still side with record artists. Free downloads should be prosecuted. A song is their creation. It should be purchased.

[onionboy]

12:56 PM on 05/04/2012

True, but nobody wins when the prosecute the wrong person.

[AndroidFTW]

01:21 PM on 05/04/2012

SHARING IS CARING AND JUST FOR YOU I WILL COPY 50 GIGS OF SONGS AND MOVIES AND I WILL GIVE THEM AWAY! LOL

[Maxedaddy]

12:16 PM on 05/04/2012

Unlike SCOTUS, IP addresses are not people too!

[stormbringer56]

11:41 AM on 05/04/2012

Smart Judge too bad it doesn't change what will be happening this summer

[FilthyHarry]

11:35 AM on 05/04/2012

A smart ruling, but given that most of these illegal download suits are geared towards having the defendant settle out of court in order to avoid embarrassment (for porn downloads) or just to avoid what they think will be a losing case, it doesn't really matter much.

[derickma]

10:53 AM on 05/04/2012

Finally someone who knows what they are talking about an IP address even a static one means nothing if someone hacked into your WIFI they can accuse you of downloading music even if the person doing it isn't even in your house.