In response to a formal motion to compel discovery, Stanton ordered Google to provide Viacom with YouTube user data.
This decision received criticism from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and privacy advocates.
"[4] Stanton denied Viacom's motion to reveal the proprietary source code used for YouTube video searches, as well as the Viacom motion to compel Google to provide access to privately stored YouTube videos.
[5][6] Ultimately the companies agreed to anonymize all user data other than that of the defendants' and plaintiffs' employees.
[8] Stanton was the judge in the civil complaint filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against Bernard Madoff.