Judge rules Internet anonymity not sacrosanct
The ruling had to do with the recording indistry and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, but a decision in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ramifications beyond those who download music.
The court ruled subpoenas requiring ISPs to name persons who downloaded particular files must be obeyed. This means that a document issued by a court clerk is all that's needed to force Internet service providers to detail Internet activity and to name the persons involved.
This in turn opens the door for broadened probing of Internet users in both criminal and civil cases, including sting operations. People who accidentally or intentionally download prohibited material, as from newsgroups, cannot do so with any expectation of privacy, based on the ruling.
the whole story I found through newsforgeHow dos this change things for Americans?
I live in BC so im safe for the moment anyways
[ May 04, 2003: Message edited by: suselinux ]
[ May 04, 2003: Message edited by: suselinux ]
