NEW YORK (AP) - A federal appeals court says the government will have to notify the courts when it demands secrecy from Internet service providers who provide private information on their customers.

The ruling Monday by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan was a partial victory for the government.

A lower-court judge had tossed out a provision of the USA Patriot Act that prevented Internet service providers from telling their customers if the government demanded private information about them.

The law lets the government acquire telephone, e-mail and financial records about Americans and foreigners without a judge's approval.

But the appeals court said the law can be kept largely intact as long as the government agrees to initiate judicial review when the FBI seeks to stop an Internet provider from making disclosures to customers.