RIAA Handed Another Setback to Bundle Cases

ORLANDO – Another federal judge has ruled that suspected file sharers brought into court can’t be bundled into one suit.

It’s the second such ruling that is making it more difficult for the Recording Industry Association of America to sue swappers. The RIAA has attempted to sue nearly 2,000 sharers in various jurisdictions in the United States.

Judge David Baker of the U.S. District Court in Orlando on Thursday decided the case of a group of 25 suspected swappers who share the same Internet service provider, Bright House Networks, which operates in central and south Florida.

“Beyond the circumstances that the defendants used the peer-to-peer network and that the defendants access the Internet through Bright House, no other facts connect the defendants,” Baker wrote in the decision.

With the ruling, the trade group must file individual claims rather than consolidating them together in a single suit, which isn’t as cost-effective.

“The rulings are requiring the record companies to follow rules that everyone else has to follow when filing lawsuits,” Cindy Cohn, legal director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told XBiz.

Last month, the RIAA sued 203 so-called “John Doe” defendants who used Comcast as their Internet service provider into one lawsuit when it sued them in federal court in Philadelphia, but Judge Clarence Newcomer ruled against consolidating the cases.

In December, the trade group was barred by a federal court from using the Digital Millenium Copyright Act to subpoena names of suspected copyright infringers, so the recording industry has resorted to the “John Doe” method. But the RIAA can identify alleged swappers by their Internet protocol addresses, even though they not know the individuals’ names.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Sex Work CEO Debuts Upgraded 'GPTease' AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Canvas in-chat editing feature to its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

North Carolina Passes Extreme Bill Targeting Adult Sites

The North Carolina state legislature this week ratified a bill that would impose new regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

Supreme Court Ruling Due Friday in FSC v. Paxton AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on Friday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the adult industry trade association's challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Ofcom: More Porn Providers Commit to Age Assurance Measures

A number of adult content providers operating in the U.K. have confirmed that they plan to introduce age checks in compliance with the Online Safety Act by the July 25 deadline, according to U.K. media regulator Ofcom.

Show More