A Los Angeles judge has granted Ariana Grande's request to subpoena Instagram, TikTok and other online platforms in an effort to identify people who have leaked her unreleased music, photos and video footage. The ruling allows Grande's legal team to compel social media sites and payment services to hand over records that could unmask the anonymous accounts behind the leaks, marking a significant step in her ongoing lawsuit against the perpetrators.

Grande filed the lawsuit last month, alleging that cybercriminals have repeatedly hacked accounts belonging to her photographers and producers, then sold the stolen material to others who posted it publicly, including on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X and Discord, with payments allegedly made via PayPal and CashApp. Los Angeles County Judge Mark H. Epstein approved the subpoena request a day after it was filed, and Grande's lawyers say they have been investigating the issue since 2023, when 45 unreleased songs, including "Fantasize", were leaked online. She joins a growing list of artists, among them Madonna, Megan Thee Stallion, Ye and BTS, who have turned to the courts to combat music leaks.