Another Judge Criticizes Strike 3 Holdings' Mass Copyright Litigation

Another Judge Criticizes Strike 3 Holdings' Mass Copyright Litigation

CAMDEN, N.J. — A federal judge in New Jersey became yesterday the latest magistrate to rule against Strike 3 Holdings and also to use the occasion to criticize the adult company’s strategy of filing a massive number of copyright lawsuits against anonymous downloaders.

Judge Joel Schneider ruled that he would not allow Strike 3 Holdings, the company behind the popular porn brands in the Vixen group, to reveal the identities of a number of internet users they claim illegally downloaded their content.

This threat of public exposure, legal experts say, is behind the more than 3,000 almost identical lawsuits Strike 3 has filed against internet users since 2017.

Judge Schneider stated that he was not “unmindful” that his ruling “may make it more difficult for Strike 3 to identify copyright infringers,” but chose to uphold the expected privacy rights of the accused over the litigious company’s claims.

"A legal remedy does not exist for every wrong,” Schneider wrote, “and it is unfortunately the case that sometimes the law has not yet caught up with advanced technology.”

According to legal news site Law360, Strike 3 “monitors for IP addresses that download its films, then uses geolocation technology to figure out roughly where the network is located. It then files a lawsuit in the appropriate district against the anonymous subscriber linked to the address, allowing it to request a subpoena to force the internet service provider associated with the address to reveal the name of the subscriber.”

Schneider had previously granted these subpoenas, but lately, he explained, he took "a deep dive into Strike 3's practices” and decided that the company’s subpoenas were “misleading." the judge wrote.

"Prior to its recent inquiries, the court assumed Strike 3's subpoenas identified the name of the IP subscriber when its works were infringed. However, the court was wrong," Schneider said.

"The innocent subscriber may have to pay a substantial sum to retain a lawyer to defend the lawsuit, or possibly settle to avoid incurring future costs," the judge wrote. "Negative publicity and embarrassment may occur from being named in a copyright infringement lawsuit [and] the fact that the innocent subscriber was named in a lawsuit may be revealed in an unrelated employment or credit search."

Related:  

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

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

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.

Show More