The two schools filed motions last month asking the judge to quash the subpoenas, which request names and other information for one Massachusetts Institute of Technology student and three BC students who allegedly obtained music using various screen names.

The Washington-based Recording Industry Association of America issued a statement calling the ruling a "minor procedural issue." The ruling "does not change an undeniable fact - when individuals distribute music illegally online, they are not anonymous and service providers must reveal who they are," the RIAA said.

The subpoenas are part of the RIAA's nationwide effort to crack down on copyright violators using music sharing software online to distribute songs.

This spring, a federal judge affirmed the constitutionality of a law allowing music companies to force Internet providers to release the names of suspected music pirates upon subpoena from any federal court clerk's office. The ruling has been appealed.