I'm confused what are we worried about again?

[ Reply to This | # ]

Your comment assumes you buy all your music from iTMS. Not everyone does.

The mini-store request does send what looks like an iTMS id. Search for X-Dsid in ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iTunes.plist file. I have 2 machines authorized on the same iTMS account and they both have the same id, so it's not just a random number that is made up.

From what I've read, the information is actually sent to a 3rd party Apple has contracted with, so even if you were inclined to trust Apple with not retaining the information, it's not clear that should extend to another company.

Finally, it's not much of a stretch to contemplate the RIAA trying to subpoena this information because it would show what songs you have ripped to your computer, and they could compare that to music you have purchased.