HBO obtains DMCA subpoena to unmask "Euphoria" spoiler account on X

It has been reported that HBO’s parent, Warner Bros. Discovery, secured a DMCA subpoena ordering X Corp. to identify the person behind an Euphoria-themed account that allegedly posted spoilers from unaired Season 3 episodes. The move came days before the show’s long-awaited premiere, and it has been reported that the company asked a U.S. federal court clerk to sign off on the subpoena — a relatively quick route to compel platform records. What will HBO do with the identity if it gets it? That question is still up in the air.

What was requested

According to the filing, X was told to hand over names, addresses, telephone numbers, email accounts, account numbers, IP addresses and any billing or contact records tied to the @maudesfancat account (also known as “Lexi howard’s cat”). It has been reported that Warner Bros. Discovery first flagged the posts on March 31, describing them as “spoilers for unaired episodes of our Euphoria TV Series,” and X is said to have acknowledged the takedown and removed the material. The subpoena itself, filed in the Northern District of California, set an April 23 deadline for X to respond.

The legal wrinkle

There’s a wrinkle: the DMCA notice described the material as video/audiovisual recording, while the sworn declaration identified it as “summaries of unpublished, character, setting, and plots of a forthcoming series.” Copyright protects expression, not ideas or plot summaries, so the legal footing here isn’t ironclad. Michael Bentkover, WBD’s Director of Worldwide Online Enforcement, asserts the posts included access to HBO’s unpublished, copyright-protected work — but that claim will matter if anyone challenges the subpoena. Legally, both X and the account holder can object; no formal objections were on file at the time of reporting.

HBO has a long, not-so-great history with leaks — think Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon — so the emotional stakes are obvious: fans want surprises, studios want control. The @maudesfancat account is reportedly no longer online. Whether this ends with a quiet takedown, a courtroom fight, or nothing at all remains to be seen.

Sources: torrentfreak.com, Hacker News