WASHINGTON, Oct 12 (AFP) - The US Supreme Court declined to review a lower court's decision that disallowed subpoenas seeking Internet subscribers' names and contact information to crack down on piracy, Verizon Communications said Tuesday.
The case was initiated by the Recording Industry of America against the Internet provider as a means to uncover who was copying music over the Web.
"This decision means copyright holders and their representatives -- or identity thieves and stalkers posing as copyright holders -- will not be allowed to obtain personal information about Internet users by simply filing a one-page form with a court clerk," said Sarah Deutsch, Verizon's associate general counsel, in a statement.
The court declined to review the decision of the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that a wave of subpoenas seeking the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of thousands of Internet subscribers through a "rubber stamp" process was unlawful, Verizon said.
The appellate panel last December overturned a district court decision ordering Verizon to turn over the names of suspected music pirates.
The case became a focal point in the battle between advocates of civil liberties in cyberspace and the music industry's effort to crack down on rampant piracy of copyrighted materials.
"Today, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the personal privacy, First Amendment rights to free speech and free association, and the safety of every Internet user in this country," Deutsch added.
"The Supreme Court's action is a victory for consumers, for the Internet and its continued growth, and it marks the end of a dangerous and illegal subpoena campaign that threatened the constitutional rights of all Americans."