Reddit Tells Court: Film Studios Spewed 'Nonsense' in Demand for Users' Names

Reddit is fighting a film-industry attempt to identify users who discussed piracy, telling a federal court that the studios' request for users' real names should be rejected and that one of the studios' arguments is "nonsense." From a report: "Courts have long recognized that the First Amendment protects online anonymity and have established a stringent standard to use in precisely this scenario, where a litigant seeks to unmask users for the purpose of providing evidence in litigation that does not involve those users... Plaintiffs are far from meeting that strict standard here," Reddit said Tuesday in a filing in US District Court for the Northern District of California.

Reddit has no involvement in the lawsuit that triggered the request for users' identities -- the studios behind films such as Hellboy, Rambo V: Last Blood, Tesla, and The Hitman's Bodyguard sued cable broadband provider RCN in a different court, alleging that RCN failed to terminate Internet subscribers who illegally downloaded copyrighted movies. (RCN is now known as Astound Broadband after being combined with several other cable ISPs in the same ownership group.) In an attempt to prove that RCN turned a blind eye to users downloading copyrighted movies, the film studios subpoenaed Reddit seeking identifying information for specific users who commented in piracy-related threads. After Reddit provided information on only one user, calling the other requests a "fishing expedition," the studios filed a motion to compel Reddit to respond to the subpoena.

real names

[zlives]

people use real names on internet?

THE INTERNET IS NOT ANONYMOUS

[dsfhdsagsda]

This is the dirty secret: reddit probably knows who you are and other services likely do to. Any service who requires a phone number knows who you are guaranteed. They pushed it as "two-factor" for "security" but anyone with a brain knows that it was to tie your "anonymous" account to your real name. I have no doubt that slashdot has a pretty good idea who I am in real life.

Re:THE INTERNET IS NOT ANONYMOUS

[jhoegl]

Why was this modded down? They are right. Any little thing can link back to you. not just email you use, but the MFA, which ties to your phone/email, and/or comments you make that indicate who you are. Not only that but super cookies and allowed browser interactions can pull your unique computer ID and other information to keep track of you.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:

[ArchieBunker]

Reddit doesn't require a phone number. I've created a dozen accounts over the years using throw away email accounts. They do use browser fingerprinting to detect if you're attempting to evade an account ban.

Re:

[DarkOx]

They do use browser fingerprinting to detect if you're attempting to evade an account ban.

So realistically they have you pretty uniquely identified and more than likely they have some data-points they either can or do tie to a real identity without someone having to do some manual OSINT hunt. In the best case they have enough leads gathered that someone can manually identify you with 15min of human effort.

Reality is if you create any account with any of the "big tech" services and every accessed it less than two VMs deep with full isolation (no tools and host communication devices), via TOR, re

Re:

[Opportunist]

Spin up a new VM with a different OS and a different setup...

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:

[Geoffrey.landis]

This is the dirty secret: reddit probably knows who you are and other services likely do to.

Well, obviously.

If they didn't know the names, their response would simply have been "we don't have this information." Instead they responded "we aren't required to give you this information".

Re: THE INTERNET IS NOT ANONYMOUS

[PPH]

I refuse MFA based on my phone number (cellular or land line). And my cell phone is anonymous in and of itself. It's a prepaid account that I refill with cash. And the phone itself was purchased with cash.

The most disturbing thing I have seen as a result of this is the "phone number" field in some service providers account information is filled out with a number that has nothing to do with me. I usually contact them via their fraud reporting link that this is not my number, it could very well be an attempt

Re: real names

[Slashythenkilly]

Probably not on Reddit but if the flood gates were opened (and I suspect with enough money and pressure they will) IP addresses, user account info, CC info used to purchase tier levels, or comment history could lead to someones front door. This is scary because someone talking about piracy anonymously online is no evidence worthy of a warrant. My advice to anyone and everyone doing this is still stfu.

Re: real names

[zlives]

that explains why am still on slash dot as my only "social" network

Re: real names

[Geoffrey.landis]

slashdot is more of an antisocial network.

Re:

[King_TJ]

If they do pressure and pay off services to release that much info (everything from CC info used for purchases to comment history to user account info and IP addresses) -- there will be backlash.

The pendulum only swings so far in one direction before it swings back.

Most people chatting openly and freely online do so because they still have the sense that their privacy and personal details are protected to a "reasonable extent". EG. Would someone even bother getting engaged in a big "flame war" on Craigslist

talking about piracy is illegal now?

[MooseTick]

So people talking about piracy in an online forum can not get you subpoenaed and sued?

America, the last of the free; as long as you don't post comments in reddit that offend Hollywood.

Re:

[mattventura]

I know reading TFA isn't popular around these parts (and to be fair, other articles explain it better), but the issue is that the copyright cops are trying to establish that it was an open secret that RCN let infringers off easy. They're not going after the anonymous users for any sort of infringement, they're effectively just witnesses.

Re:

[sjames]

So they say, but given the highly questionable reasoning in their request, it's fair enough to question their motives.

I mean really, why would they assume someone in a COMCAST subreddit would be talking about a tiny regional carrier when they didn't name the carrier?

And why a 13 year old post?

Re:

[Required Snark]

Let me fix that for you.

"America, the last of the free; as long as you don't post comments in reddit that offend Hollywood or Republican politicians. [businessinsider.com]"

A new bill introduced in Florida would require any blogger who writes about Gov. Ron DeSantis to register with the state.

The bill was introduced in the Florida Senate on February 28 by GOP lawmaker Jason Brodeur. S.B. 1316 would require any blogger who writes about DeSantis — and is paid for their work — to register with the state ethics commiss

now they are going after slashdot

[renegade600]

guess everyone in this posting that is talking about piracy it at risk now :-)

Re: now they are going after slashdot

[PPH]

Arrrgh!

Talking about a subject is bad?

[cyberfunkr]

So if talking about piracy is illegal, does that mean that us talking about people talking about piracy mean that we are all accessories after the fact? Are the other people in that forum, even if they didn't engage, but "listened" to the talk of piracy accomplices?

Re:

[groobly]

Uh, I am new to country. Please say me what is piracy? Wait, knock is from door, man say FBI open up, I come back soon.

Reddit is a bit like Chinese censorship

[takochan]

For those not in the know, Reddit operates a bit like the Internet in China. There are 'moderators' ('mods'), who in many city / regional groups 'subreddits' tend to be younger, and very left wing versus the general population (who don't have time to donate being 'moderators' as they have regular day jobs, kids..etc).

The 'moderators' often shadow-delete any posts or comments that don't align with their beliefs (not necessary deleting just right wing, but even lots of middle-of-the-road stuff). The poster ma