Ariana Grande Can Subpoena Instagram and TikTok to Unmask Music Leakers: Judge
The pop star won a key court order in her legal war against anonymous hackers who've stolen and posted her unreleased content.
Ariana Grande has secured a court order that allows her to request the identities of individuals who have leaked her unreleased music, photos, and video footage. A judge granted her request on Wednesday (Aug. 19) to immediately send subpoenas to various online platforms and third-party payment services. The court order states that good cause is shown for the subpoenas.
Grande filed a lawsuit last month with the intention of unmasking anonymous individuals who have violated the "sacred relationship that exists between her and her fans." She claims that cybercriminals have repeatedly hacked into her photographers' and producers' accounts and sold the stolen material to others, who then posted it on social media platforms and facilitated payments through services like PayPal and CashApp.
Grande's attorney stated that her client will be unable to obtain the necessary information to identify the guilty parties without serving discovery subpoenas to the identified third parties. The judge quickly granted the motion, allowing Grande to serve the subpoenas at any time. This is not the first time Grande has used the legal system to combat music leakers; other artists such as Madonna, Megan Thee Stallion, Kanye West, Kelsea Ballerini, and BTS have also taken legal action against those responsible.
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