Judge Rules IP Addresses Not "Personally Identifiable" 436
yuna49 writes "Online Media Daily reports that a federal judge in Seattle has held that IP addresses are not personal information. 'In order for "personally identifiable information" to be personally identifiable, it must identify a person. But an IP address identifies a computer,' US District Court Judge Richard Jones said in a written decision. Jones issued the ruling in the context of a class-action lawsuit brought by consumers against Microsoft stemming from an update that automatically installed new anti-piracy software. In that case, which dates back to 2006, consumers alleged that Microsoft violated its user agreement by collecting IP addresses in the course of the updates. This ruling flatly contradicts a recent EU decision to the contrary, as well as other cases in the US. Its potential relevance to the RIAA suits should be obvious to anyone who reads Slashdot."
Re:Yup (Score:5, Funny)
IPv6 addresses should be like MAC addresses for people.
Issued at birth, and tattooed onto your ass.
Actually I hope the RIAA aren't reading this. It will give them ideas.
Spartacus-1138 (Score:5, Funny)
I am 192.168.0.1!
No, I am 192.168.0.1!
No, I am 192.168.0.1!
No, I am!
I am!
Legal code for this (Score:5, Funny)
if(individual.sues(evilCorporation)) {
return "IP address is not personal identification";
} else if(evilCorporation.sues(individual) {
return "IP address is personal information";
} else return "Please submit amount available to donate to my election campaign";
}
Couldn't this be a potentially good thing? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Spartacus-1138 (Score:3, Funny)
I am 192.168.0.1
That's the IP of my gateway. I am the keymaster are you the gatekeeper?
Re:Spartacus-1138 (Score:3, Funny)
I am 127.0.0.1!
No, I am 127.0.0.1!
No, I am 127.0.0.1!
No, I am!
I am!
There, fixed that for you.
Re:Legal code for this (Score:2, Funny)
Q: How do you make a RichLitigationObject?
A: Inherit from a LitigationObject.
Re:Yup (Score:2, Funny)
An IP address DOES identify a computer- but not the way the judge thinks. My IP address identifies my router, which in turn owns 5 to 6 computers.
That's a kick ass router, I wish my router would get a job and buy more computers.
Re:Yup (Score:4, Funny)
tattooed onto your ass
Your butt crack can then be interpreted as the :: part in the middle of abbreviated addresses.
Re:Yup (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Yup (Score:5, Funny)
... but my butt crack only has one colon. :-(
Re:And a STREET Address? (Score:2, Funny)
Somebody call PETA!