It just goes to show that if you scream and scream and scream and scream (and scream), mixed with a whole lot of whining, you can eventually get your way, and it appears to have worked for the RIAA.  The days of your ISP being able to protect your identity when the RIAA's SWAT team comes hunting for you may be over.  A US court has ordered an ISP to reveal the identity of a user accused of illegally downloading hundreds of copyrighted songs.  I sense a huge, very-public ass-raping coming soon.  Lucky for the poor sod who's about to become the RIAA's new chew toy, the ISP in question is going to appeal.  If the appeal is unsuccessful, this clears the way for the RIAA and others to hunt you down for even SUSPECTING you're downloading copyrighted material, and to have their way with you.  My favorite quote from the article from the RIAA weenie who started this:

"Now that the court has ordered Verizon to live up to its obligation under the law, we look forward to contacting the account holder whose identity we were seeking so we can let them know that what they are doing is illegal."

I'm willing to bet a substancial amount of money they're going to do more to this poor person than tell them they've been bad.

Here's the full story.