EU Rules File Sharers Remain Unamed In Civil Cases

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European Union countries can refuse to disclose names of file sharers on the Internet in civil cases, the EU's top court said on Tuesday in a blow to copyright holders trying to fight digital piracy.

The European Court of Justice ruled on a dispute between Spanish music rights holders association Promusicae and Spain's top telecoms operator Telefonica.

Telefonica argued that, under a national law based on EU rules, it only had to disclose the name of an Internet subscriber for criminal actions, not civil ones.

EU Rules File Sharers Remain Unamed In Civil Cases [uk.reuters.com]

[Webwork]

I was a bit concerned about the intelligence of the EU until I read the following:

EU rules do not preclude the possibility for EU countries of laying down an obligation to disclose personal data in the context of civil proceedings, it said.

"However, it does not compel the member states to lay down such an obligation," the court said.

Privacy vs. piracy and piracy wins? Woohoo!?