BitTorrent’s Automated File Assembly Nixes Joinder

The decision by 80 individual BitTorrent users to download the same movie was not an adequate reason to join them as defendants in a single lawsuit seeking to discover their identities because much of the BitTorrent file-sharing protocol operates automatically, independent of user choice as to whom to share files with, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida held July 19 (Bubble Gum Productions LLC v. Does 1-80, S.D. Fla., 1:12-cv-20367-PAS, 7/19/12).

The court, however, granted defendants’ motion to sever, and ordered the case dismissed without prejudice against Does 2 through 80. It rejected ...