I'm not sure if your use of the word "desecration" in this context was a conscious pun or Freudian slip, but I love it either way.

In any event, it is most certainly not just up to their "discretion", they are legally bound to keep that info private, just as a bank, broker, agent, or sales clerk cannot reveal information about you to LE without a warrant. I If you are a doctor, priest or lawyer, they cannot provide information even if they DO have a warrant. I was on a project once in Africa where, upon arrival, I was asked the purpose of my visit. I said it was for a project. They asked for the name of client, which is privileged information that I cannot reveal without a valid court order or subpoena. It took me about two hours to get in, but if I had given that information, I would have been breaking the law.

That's the whole reason the Bush administration was pushing the Senate to create a special carve-out for the telecommunications companies who provided private customer info to the government without a warrant, to protect them from getting sued for violating their customer privacy obligations (Qwest was the one exception, they told the Feds they would be happy to co-operate on production of a warrant). If it was "discretionary," no special legislation to protect the telecommunications companies from the liability they are facing as a result of making these unauthorised disclosures would be required.