The Recording Industry Ass. of America (RIAA) may have temporarily abandoned plans to censor Web sites available to American surfers, but they've still got their shock troops on heightened alert. Recently they've attempted to force Verizon.net to identify a customer they claim is making music files available for download. Verizon has refused, out of concern that it might expose itself to liability on privacy grounds. The RIAA has filed a second demand with the courts in Washington, DC, claiming that the customer's privacy rights are nullified by its superior copyright concerns. Apparently the presumption of innocence will be another casualty of that glorious crusade.

In a related development, News.com's Declan McCullagh reports that the US Department of Justice (DoJ) is apparently salivating over the chance to make examples of file traders to send the "message that stealing is stealing," as US deputy assistant attorney general John Malcolm puts it.

According to the article, show-prosecutions are being planned, though there's no official word on when the 'copyright-911' assaults will commence against the P2P pestilence.

Recently nineteen members of Congress sent a petition to US Attorney General John Ashcroft begging him on behalf of their Hollywood patrons to crack down on P2P evil-doers. Apparently their prayers have been answered. ®