[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Loser:
The question I have is this: how do they get these numbers if they aren't watching other people's network traffic, or searching their computers remotely. I know they can just open up Kazaa themselves, but how are they connecting that to a person without a Search that would normally involve a Warrant?

All sorts of personal information, really anything anyone wants to know, is available as what is called "demographics". As long as they don't have a name tied to the particular bit of information it's legal to collect any sort of tidbits they want to for statistical purposes. So you have a list over here with a number representing you and all sorts of details about your Online activities, and another list over here with your name. As long as there is nothing to cross referance the two lists they haven't impinged on your privacy and so no warrant is neccesary. At least that's the theory. It's easily abbused of course and so something we should all be very concerned about.