U.S. District Judge John D. Bates has ordered Verizon to turn over the identity of an Internet subscriber who the Recording Industry Association of America said had been making available unauthorized copies of several hundred songs. The RIAA invoked a legal short cut that that provides copyright holders the ability to circumvent the normal judicial process in pursuing violators. Verizon said it would appeal the ruling.

“The court’s decision has troubling ramifications for consumers, service providers and the growth of the Internet,” said Sara Deutsch, vice president and associate general counsel for Verizon. “It opens the door for anyone who makes a mere allegation of copyright infringement to gain complete access to private subscriber information without the due process protections afforded by the courts.”

The record industry holds online piracy responsible for the decline in CD sales in recent years. Industry officials have signaled that the RIAA is preparing to pursue some of the millions of people who infringe copyrights using the Internet.

“We appreciate the court’s decision, which validates our interpretation of the law,” Cary Sherman, president of the Recording Industry Association of America, said in a statement. “The illegal distribution of music on the Internet is a serious issue for musicians, songwriters and other copyright owners.

(via New York Times)