All lawsuits
ip-scrapingjudgment
In re DMCA Subpoena to Reddit, Inc. (Shafiei)
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- Court
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- Docket
- 3:26-mc-80128-TSH
- Parties
- Alireza Shafiei (petitioner) seeking to unmask Reddit user u/tiktoktruthseeker; Reddit, Inc. (subpoena recipient)
- Claim type
- ip-scraping
- Filed
- 2026-05
- Outcome
- Motion to compel denied; subpoena effectively quashed — the user's post held to be transformative, non-commercial fair use, so no §512(h) subpoena could issue.
Summary
A TikTok creator sought a DMCA §512(h) subpoena to unmask a Reddit user who posted a 27-second clip of his livestream with critical commentary to a drama subreddit, claiming copyright infringement. On June 26, 2026, Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson denied the motion to compel and effectively quashed the subpoena, holding the post was fair use. Distinct from the Watchtower and ISP-piracy unmasking lines.
Related issue
Sources
- 01
- 02GovInfo case landing page: USCOURTS-cand-3_26-mc-80128Official / Reddit2026