Accidental Peer-to-peer Leak?

In an unintentional example of the fluidity of information in social media, The Washington Post found out which members of congress are being investigated by a congressional committee, because a staffer saved a list to a part of her computer that was visible to a peer-to-peer network, and someone saw it.

From the Washington Post:

In the breach, the report was disclosed inadvertently by a junior committee staff member, who had apparently stored the file on a home computer with "peer-to-peer" software, congressional sources said. The popular software allows computer users to share music or other files and is easily available online. But it also allows anyone with the software on a computer to access documents of another user without permission, as long as the users are on a file-sharing network at the same time.

Here's a slightly older version from Yahoo News, for those who don't want to sign up with the Washington Post.

I think it would be odd if the main thing to come of this was a crackdown by spooked lawmakers on peer-to-peer networks.  From Yahoo:

The Recording Industry Association of America said the disclosure was evidence of a need for controls on peer-to-peer software to block the improper or illegal exchange of music. Some lawmakers have tried for years to bring this about.  Mitch Bainwol, the group's chairman and chief executive officer, said, "It's now happening (in) Congress' backyard, and that should be a powerful catalyst to enact real reforms to protect consumers."