The High Court has ordered O2 to disclose its customers' details in peer-to-peer file-sharing cases. Arnold J examined the legitimacy of speculative invoicing, when letters of claim are sent to thousands of internet subscribers whose internet connection is alleged to have been used.
The case demonstrates that, in cases such as this, the key issue will be balancing of the rights of consumers and the rights of copyright owners to data protection and privacy. (Golden Eye (International) Ltd and others v Telefonica UK Ltd [2012] EWHC 723 (Ch), 26 March 2012.)
