Reddit: IP Address Disclosure Puts User Anonymity At Risk
In January 2024, independent film companies, including Voltage Holdings and Screen Media Ventures, sought a court order to compel Reddit to disclose the IP addresses of users who posted piracy-related comments. The filmmakers argued that these IP addresses were crucial for their ongoing lawsuit against Internet Service Provider (ISP) Frontier Communications, aiming to demonstrate the ISP’s alleged failure to act against repeat infringers. Reddit opposed the request, asserting that revealing IP addresses would violate users’ First Amendment rights to anonymous speech. The platform emphasized that IP addresses could be used to unmask users by subpoenaing their ISPs, thereby compromising their anonymity. This legal battle underscores the tension between copyright enforcement and the protection of online anonymity. (TorrentFreak)
