The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has confirmed that copyright holders can’t use a “DMCA subpoena shortcut” to identify internet subscribers suspected of copyright infringement. The Court sides with ISP Cox Communications, which intervened in the matter. The ruling blocks a legal tactic filmmakers have used to bypass the traditional, more expensive “John Doe” lawsuits. At the same time, it’s also bad news for the MPA and RIAA.