[mcbits]

This will allow ISPs to track who is viewing particular patents and when. That would be very lucrative data to sell in some circumstances. I doubt the USPTO would distribute a list of IP addresses that accessed a patent without some kind of due process.

[sgt101]

I think this might be gutted out already though as big companies use proprietary databases which have enhanced data on the patents. Also google patents...

[mcbits]

Yeah, I don't think it's actually their reason for the change. It's just one hypothetical consequence that the decision makers probably failed to consider. Still, the decision makers should be investigated for conflicts of interest because they've made a really fishy-smelling decision.