Federal judge rejects challenge by Internet customers to subpoenas seeking their names

Judge allows subpoenas for Internet users

WASHINGTON — A federal judge has allowed the holder of a movie copyright to subpoena the names of people accused of illegally downloading and distributing a film over the Internet.

U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer ruled Friday that courts have held that Internet subscribers do not have an expectation of privacy once they convey subscriber information to their Internet service providers. Collyer denied motions by some computer users to quash subpoenas for subscriber information.

The decision came in the case of a German limited partnership which is suing some Internet users for copyright infringement of the movie “Far Cry,” a video game adaptation.