Dutch court backs ISPs

The Brein Foundation asked five ISPs - UPC, Wanadoo,Tiscali, KPN and Essent Kabelcom, to hand over personal data on people downloading large amounts of music and films.

However, the Dutch court ruled that Brein had illegally obtained the names of the alleged internet pirates through a US research outfit MediaSentry.

The Court didn't like the way that MediaSentry's software scanned all the content of the "shared folder" on the customer's hard disk, which could also contain non-infringing data and personal information.

This strengthened the suspicion that BREIN's was being "privacy invasive".

Personal data in the EU is a bit better protected than in the US where the music industry can do whatever it likes to obtain names of downloaders.

Dutch news agency ANP said, ironically, nine of the downloaders who were identified have already reached an amicable agreement with Brein, each of them paying a €2100 fine.

More here. µ