Thanks for Trying, Verizon

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has struck another blow to our personal privacy, this time on our use of the internet. Snippets:

Verizon Communications said Wednesday that it will turn over to a recording industry trade group the names of four anonymous subscribers accused of illegal file swapping, after an appellate panel denied the company's request for a delay.

At stake are subpoena powers granted under a controversial copyright law that aims to make it easier for content owners to combat Internet piracy. Unlike ordinary "John Doe" subpoenas, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) allows copyright holders to subpoena information without first seeking a judge's blessing, making it an easier and cheaper method for tracking down alleged copyright infringers.

Privacy experts have criticized such subpoenas, saying they violate consumers' privacy and give copyright holders too much power. Internet trade groups worry that it could shift the burden of copyright enforcement toward ISPs.

For an analysis on why the court's actions are probably illegal, go to THIS article and then click "30-page brief" in the 2nd paragraph. And HERE is another analysis of the situation.