13 replies to this topic

[clarky3429]

Google asked to hand over search records


January 20, 2006 - 10:53AM

Google is rebuffing the Bush administration's demand for a peek at what millions of people have been looking up on the internet's leading search engine.

The request underscores the potential for online databases to become tools of the Government.

Google has refused to comply with a White House subpoena first issued last summer, prompting US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales this week to ask a federal judge in San Jose for an order to force a handover of the requested records.

The Government wants a list of all requests entered into Google's search engine during an unspecified single week - a breakdown that could conceivably span tens of millions of queries.

In addition, it seeks 1 million randomly selected web addresses from various Google databases.

In court papers that the San Jose Mercury News reported on after seeing them yesterday, the Bush administration depicts the information as vital in its effort to restore online child protection laws that have been struck down by the US Supreme Court.

Google competitor Yahoo, which runs the internet's second-most used search engine, confirmed today that it had complied with a similar government subpoena.

Although the government says it isn't seeking any data that ties personal information to search requests, the subpoena still raises serious privacy concerns, experts said, especially considering recent revelations that the White House authorised eavesdropping on domestic civilian communications after the September 11 attacks without obtaining court approval.

"Search engines now play such an important part in our daily lives that many people probably contact Google more often than they do their own mother," said Thomas Burke, a San Francisco lawyer who has handled several prominent cases involving privacy issues.

"Just as most people would be upset if the government wanted to know how much you called your mother and what you talked about, they should be upset about this, too."

The content of search request sometimes contain information about the person making the query.

For instance, it's not unusual for search requests to include names, medical information or Social Security information, said Pam Dixon, executive director for the World Privacy Forum.

"This is exactly the kind of thing we have been worrying about with search engine for some time," Dixon said.

"Google should be commended for fighting this."

Other search engines already have complied with similar subpoenas issued by the Bush administration, according to court documents.

The cooperating search engines weren't identified.

Yahoo stressed that it didn't reveal any personal information. "We are rigorous defenders of our users' privacy," Yahoo spokeswoman Mary Osako said Thursday.

"In our opinion, this is not a privacy issue."

Microsoft MSN, the No. 3 search engine, declined to say whether it even received a similar subpoena.

"MSN works closely with law enforcement officials worldwide to assist them when requested," the company said in a statement.

As the internet's dominant search engine, Google has built up a valuable storehouse of information that "makes it a very attractive target for law enforcement," said Chris Hoofnagle, senior counsel for the Electronic Privacy Information Centre.

The Department of Justice argues that Google's cooperation is essential in its effort to simulate how people navigate the web.

In a separate case in Pennsylvania, the Bush administration is trying to prove that internet filters don't do an adequate job of preventing children from accessing online pornography and other objectionable destinations.

Obtaining the subpoenaed information from Google "would assist the government in its efforts to understand the behaviour of current web users, [and] to estimate how often web users encounter harmful-to-minors material in the course of their searches," the Justice Department wrote in a brief filed Wednesday

Google - whose motto when it went public in 2004 was "do no evil" - contends that submitting to the subpoena would represent a betrayal to its users, even if all personal information is stripped from the search terms sought by the government.

"Google's acceding to the request would suggest that it is willing to reveal information about those who use its services. This is not a perception that Google can accept," company lawyer Ashok Ramani wrote in a letter included in the government's filing.

Complying with the subpoena also wound threaten to expose some of Google's "crown-jewel trade secrets," Ramani wrote.

Google is particularly concerned that the information could be used to deduce the size of its index and how many computers it uses to crunch the requests.

"This information would be highly valuable to competitors or miscreants seeking to harm Google's business," Ramani wrote.

Dixon is hoping Google's battle with the government reminds people to be careful how they interact with search engines.

"When you are looking at that blank search box, you should remember that what you fill can come back to haunt you unless you take precautions," she said.

AP

[ShadowFox]

What do you think is the most searched item? Porn? Warez?

[clarky3429]

i think if someone is stupid enough to type those 2 into google then they shouldnt be using the internet. might aswell search "i want viruses" or something

[x2p]

another tap into your personal world

[ShadowFox]

No seriously what do you think is the most searched? I for one have turned to google and yahoo to look for things like keygens and serials.

[RedInferno]

Yup, child porn is the reason why the US wants them to hand it over.

[clarky3429]

why would ya search something that obvious into a search engine!? man people are stupid!!

[Mr Bad Guy]

Terrorists is another reason why they want it. some asshole could be searching for "how to assemble a bomb"!

[ShadowFox]

oooo I'll just find the anarchist cook book if I want to make a bomb.

[m.oreilly]

i think it's to show they "can". if the gov prevails, a precedent is set, making invasion of privacy
legal any other issues in this regard would require footwork, and, uh, work on the part of
the agencies in question; ie: instead of using legal action to bring our bad guys to justice, they invaid
another country yeah, i want this same gov to know what everyone does on the net, so the next time
they want to send our young to get shot at, at least "they" will know how to program their spin on tv
ads for being "all you can be", and what video games to send the px...sorry, i just think this is a bad
idea. don't give in google!

Edited by m.oreilly, 23 January 2006 - 04:19 AM.

[RedInferno]

RevRogue, on Jan 21 2006, 03:18 PM, said:

Why if someone was to look up "child porn" on google wouldnt it instead be a page like.... Thank you for submitting your IP to the FBI database for pediphiles an agent will be at your door in a few moments, Have a nice day...

cereal (seriously) I think it should.

LOL, that woud be funny!

[Neon]

Well, this will be interesting cos i just checked and Google are still standing ground

[ShadowFox]

good, googl's starting to win me over with it's stubborness Yahoo! even gave some info over... but that kinda ticked me off, we should fight against letting the government take control like that! They have too much power, lets revolt

[RedInferno]

Cool, I'll get the bows, Karl can bring the arrows, Clarky can bring the swords, atsaunier can bring the shields.... !!!!
Oh shoot! They have firearms!