There's no shortage of outrage over the Google subpoenas. The request for information actually is no big deal. It's the larger implications that are important.

The case is a wake-up call and an opportunity to make people think about the evolving nature of privacy in a world that now almost completely revolves around communication and shared technology.

Om Malik:

Search engines are like the digital sand, where we leave foot prints. Corporate email systems (as Microsoft and Bill Gates know all too well from their DoJ adventures), instant messaging systems, and even shopping carts - we are leaving a tiny bit of privacy wherever we go. Of course you could turn to paper and pen, disconnect yourself from the grid and move to a mountain cabin, but the options are all but none. In fact, we find ways to erode this privacy every little time.

Resistance is futile. You might as well just cut out the middleman.

UPDATE: We know that the controversy has hurt Google stock. Will it also weaken the company in its battle with publishers over indexing book content? I'm guessing the publishers are not unhappy about all this.