Sony last week was granted permission to obtain information about who downloaded files and watched a video pertaining to the hack of its PlayStation 3 gaming system. A California district court on Thursday approved Sony's subpoena request, which will require Twitter, Google, YouTube, and content server Bluehost to hand over information pertaining George Hotz and PS3 hacking activities. Hotz and Sony are currently battling in court after Hotz hacked the Sony PS3 and posted his circumvention technique on his Web site, as well as links for others to do the same. Sony claimed that Hotz violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by doing so, and that Sony will suffer irreparable harm if Hotz's actions are not curtailed. In January, Sony won a temporary restraining order against Hotz, which bans him from posting or distributing links or information about his hacking techniques. He was also required to turn over computers, hard drives, CD-roms, DVDs, USB sticks, or any other storage devices on which the circumvention devices are stored.
Hotz has argued that the court does not have jurisdiction over him, but the court said earlier this year that Hotz has "purposefully directed his activities" at those in California, where Sony Computer Entertainment America is based. Sony said the subpoenas are necessary to establish that Hotz's actions had an impact on the people of California.
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