Hotfile Ordered To Share User Data With The MPAA

If I make a accusation against someone shouldn't it be on me to provide that evidence not the person whom the accusation is against?This site looks like a blog so I assume this story goes in this forum section.



Hotfile Ordered To Share User Data With The MPAA | TorrentFreak
In their ongoing battle with the MPAA, the Florida-based file-hosting service Hotfile has suffered a major loss. A federal court has ordered Hotfile to disclose user data, the identities and revenues of their top affiliates, and financial information on the company itself. District Court Judge Adalberto Jordan argued that the MPAA needs this info to prove that Hotfile is promoting and profiting from copyright infringement.
As one of the ten largest file-sharing sites on the Internet, the file-hosting service Hotfile has become a prime target for Hollywood.
Earlier this year, five member companies of the MPAA filed a lawsuit against Hotfile and ever since the parties have been battling in court.
A few months ago the movie studios requested a substantial amount of information from the file-hosting service, including IP addresses of uploaders and downloaders, and the identities and earnings of top affiliates. In addition the MPAA asked for the source code of the site.
Hotfile protested these requests, arguing that some of the information, including the financials, is confidential. Also, the company claimed that handing over user data and detailed information on its top affiliates,would breach privacy law.
District Court Judge Adalberto Jordan reviewed the arguments from both sides and detailed his decision in a recent order, which is mostly negative for Hotfile. Except for the site’s source code, Judge Jordan ordered that Hotfile has to hand over all data requested by the MPAA.



In a related story google told the MPAA no.
http://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-demands-hotfile-data-from-google-search-engine-refuses-120210/

Anyone who surfs the net and deals with file exchanges, even if they are not dealing in copyrighted material, needs to learn how to browse anonymously.

The corporate powers in the U.S. have way, way too much ability to infringe on people's freedoms now. Protect yourself.

If a law enforcement agency is investigating something for piracy, they can get a warrant for this information. It shouldn't be forced in a civil suit.

That's was my first thought. A warrant or subpoena if they want to compel the info of the defendant.

Guys, it sounds like discovery, which is part of all legal cases.

Redress said:

Guys, it sounds like discovery, which is part of all legal cases.

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I'm not a lawyer and can only go upon what I've believed to be the case. I could be wrong and someone who does have the expertise can correct me here. Discovery is to get the evidence the other side has and is going to present.

Seems to me that if the site isn't going to use their membership roles in their defense, the other side doesn't get them.

Redress said:

Guys, it sounds like discovery, which is part of all legal cases.

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Isn't that when a side finds out the evidence the other side has, and will use in a legal case against them? Or is that definition close at least?

Travelsonic said:

Isn't that when a side finds out the evidence the other side has, and will use in a legal case against them? Or is that definition close at least?

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Discovery (law) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In U.S.law, discovery is the pre-trial phase in a lawsuit in which each party, through the law of civil procedure, can obtain evidence from the opposing party by means of discovery devices including requests for answers to interrogatories, requests for production of documents, requests for admissions and depositions. Discovery can be obtained from non-parties using subpoenas. When discovery requests are objected to, the requesting party may seek the assistance of the court by filing a motion to compel discovery.

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To be clear, I am not a lawyer, and I am not saying for sure this is what is happening, but it does sound like discovery to me as I understand it.

Hi. I've taken the classes that include discovery, so I'll shed some light here.

Discovery is indeed a pre-trial phase. It includes things like depositions, evidence gathering, and disclosure of required items by one side to the other. All the evidence procured by either side still must be done above board. A warrant or subpoena would be necessary for this.

Of course, in the battle between privacy and freedom and media corporations squeezing every last dollar they (think they) can out of us, the US government has been siding with the rich guys for a while. Hence why they didn't actually follow the law here. Especially because Hotfile and random users can't afford to fight this. Rich guys win again.

Good stuff. Thieves and those who let them operate should be investigated within the full extent of the law.