Verizon a Bit Overeager to Turn Over Records in Bittorrent Case

From DailyTech: Need your privacy protected? Don't count on Verizon Wireless. The joint venture between Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) and Vodafone Group Plc. (LON:VOD) has wound up in an embarassing situation after it shared a bit too much information in the latest extortion attempt by big media's hired legal hitmen.

"Malibu Media LLC" an alleged "copyright troll" started the mess when it accused five "John Does" operating on Verizon Wireless networks of file-sharing movies via bit-torrent. It obtained a subpoena for their records, in an attempt to gain access to the users' information for use in a threats-for-cash scheme.

Faced with the subpoena, Verizon Wireless happily threw customer privacy and trust away, handing over the privileged information. The only issue was that Verizon Wireless did not follow due process -- one of the defendants had filed a challenge and Verizon Wireless was supposed to wait until a judge ruled on that challenge. Instead, Verizon Wireless handed over the records five days before the ruling.

The carrier's overzealous approach became more embarassing when one of the defendants's lawyers convinced Magistrate Judge E. Thomas Boyle to issue a stay of the subpoena. Now Verizon Wireless's actions were clearly in violation with the ruling -- the only question was how the judge would deal with it.

The Magistrate who rejected the subpoena opted to clean up the mess created by Verizon Wireless by ordering the records be sealed and ordering the Malibu Media law team to destroy the copies they received. It has also forbid the media attack-dog from using those records in court, unless -- for some reason -- the decision to quash the subpoena is reversed.

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