Canadian web host and Internet Service Provider (ISP)
TekSavvy has been ordered to identify over 2,000 customers that have downloaded movies. The order came from a Federal Court last Thursday and covers alleged copyright violations of movies produced by Voltage Pictures, a US company responsible for releasing films such as the recent Dallas Buyers Club and academy winner The Hurt Locker. The move follows similar action by the company against BitTorrent.
Unless it complies TekSavvy, which has headquarters in Ontario, Canada, could face legal action. Although the court supported Voltage in its bid to protect its copyrights, it also showed a level of caution against blanket action against TekSavvy’s customers. Once revealed, the court ordered Voltage to send a letter to suspected copyright infringers and demanded the wording of the letter be cleared by a judge before it is sent. Voltage also has to pay TekSavvy costs as far as identifying its customers is concerned.
"On the facts of this case, there is some evidence that Voltage has been engaged in litigation which may have an improper purpose,” explained the case judge, Kevin Aalto. “However, the evidence is not sufficiently compelling for this court at this juncture in the proceeding to make any definitive determination of the motive of Voltage. In order to ensure there is no inappropriate language in any demand letter sent to the alleged infringers, the draft demand letter will be provided to the court for review."
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