Re:Doctor/Patient is legally priveleged relationsh (Score 2, Insightful)

This isn't an issue of privilege, it's an issue of privacy laws. The university is required *BY LAW* to keep your information secret under state privacy laws. They cannot divulge stuff like

• Your SIN
• Your Student #
• Your DOB
• Your class schedule
• Your phone #
• Your address

.Now along comes the RIAA saying "Please give us this private info on one (or two) of your students, because we think they've done bad things." What's the University to do? According to justice Eliason, not a damn thing!

This is how it's *supposed* to work in our society:

1. The RIAA or one of its members suspects someone has infringed on their IP
2. They contact law enforcement personnel and inform them that a crime has taken place
3. The state-recognized enforcement officers investigate
4. They present their findings to a judge, who issues a warrant to collect private information on the suspects
5. The warrant is presented to the University in question
6. The University complies with the warrant and provides all your...errr...their info
7. The D.A. decides whether or not to file charges against you...errr...them

The RIAA have short-circuited this due process through their lobbying efforts, and now the judiciary appears to be saying "Wait a minute!"

At least, that's my take on it.