A federal appeals court has rejected the recording industry's efforts to get more information on people suspected of illegally distributing music online.

The Recording Industry Association of America wanted to force the nation's Internet providers to identify subscribers accused of illegally distributing music over the Internet.

The appeals court ruling overturns a lower court ruling that enforced a copyright subpoena issued to Verizon Communications. The three-judge panel agreed with Verizon that current law does not compel it to release the information before a lawsuit is filed.

The court also said that the RIAA's claim that Verizon was partly responsible for lost profits due to file trading "borders upon the silly."

The RIAA has been collecting information on those it suspects of illegal file swapping and threating to file or filing lawsuits.

Because of a trial judge's ruling, Verizon has already turned over information on at least four subscribers.

Read the ruling (pdf. format)