Big Brother goes after Google

[XtremeJibber2001]

Feds seek Google records in porn probe

Thursday, January 19, 2006; Posted: 10:53 a.m. EST (15:53 GMT)

SAN JOSE, California (AP) -- The Bush administration, seeking to revive an online pornography law struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, has subpoenaed Google Inc. for details on what its users have been looking for through its popular search engine.

Google has refused to comply with the subpoena, issued last year, for a broad range of material from its databases, including a request for 1 million random Web addresses and records of all Google searches from any one-week period, lawyers for the U.S. Justice Department said in papers filed Wednesday in federal court in San Jose.

Privacy advocates have been increasingly scrutinizing Google's practices as the company expands its offerings to include e-mail, driving directions, photo-sharing, instant messaging and Web journals.

Although Google pledges to protect personal information, the company's privacy policy says it complies with legal and government requests. Google also has no stated guidelines on how long it keeps data, leading critics to warn that retention is potentially forever given cheap storage costs.

The government contends it needs the data to determine how often pornography shows up in online searches as part of an effort to revive an Internet child protection law that was struck down two years ago by the U.S. Supreme Court on free-speech grounds.

The 1998 Child Online Protection Act would have required adults to use access codes or other ways of registering before they could see objectionable material online, and it would have punished violators with fines up to $50,000 or jail time. The high court ruled that technology such as filtering software may better protect children.

The matter is now before a federal court in Pennsylvania, and the government wants the Google data to help argue that the law is more effective than software in protecting children from porn.

The Mountain View-based company told The San Jose Mercury News that it opposes releasing the information because it would violate the privacy rights of its users and would reveal company trade secrets.

Nicole Wong, an associate general counsel for Google, said the company will fight the government's efforts "vigorously."

If google ever releases anything, they're done. There stock will crash and many users including myself will stop using it. That's sh*t that the gov't will dig into that. If the Child Protection Act is so important, revitalize it, it's overly evident it's out their, both illegal and legal sorts.

[Bubba]

Sounds like a fishing expedition that Google is rightly refusing to comply with. As this is not a national security issue, probable cause should be required. Having none, any reasonable judge should quash the subpoena.

[2knees]

holy crap. XJ i read this earlier and thought about posting it. I wouldve bet good money you wouldve used the ole "if you arent doing anything wrong, why worry" line. I am shocked.

[ski_adk]

I remember the CEO of Google talking about this sort of situation recently on some talk show. Basically, the interviewer commented about the dangerously huge body of information that Google has acquired -- and how valuable it would be to nosey government.

The response was somewhere along the lines that yes, there is a dangerously significant volume of evidence and knowledge at Google, however, nobody should worry because we're good guys and believe in privacy...very scarry tin-foil hat type stuff indeed!

[BigKahuna13]

...and in case anyone missed it, the Senate Commerce Committee is - yet again - holding hearings today on pornography on TV (broadcast and cable) and pornography on the Internet.

When are these assh*les going to actually work on fixing something that's really broken??

[ski_adk]

When are these assh*les going to actually work on fixing something that's really broken??

Didn't you know -- God's pissed at us for the sexual deviancy going on in this country. That's why we wind up with wars, natural disasters and diseases. If we get rid of the porn, then all will be right in the world...

[XtremeJibber2001]

holy crap. XJ i read this earlier and thought about posting it. I wouldve bet good money you wouldve used the ole "if you arent doing anything wrong, why worry" line. I am shocked.

Actually I wouldn't. Beleive it or not, I do draw the line on privacy somewhere. Being on videotape walking down Market in Philly doesn't bother me. Being ask a "few" questions by police (politely) on the street doesn't bother me. Having someone that could see all my searches, all my e-mails, all my instant messages, bothers me. I use ALL of google's projects...that's a HUGE difference compared to being on videotape on a public street IMHO.

The first thing I thought of when I read this story was....now I know how CS and 2knees see things. I don't agree with some of what you two say, but at least now I feel how you feel and I understand it.

[ski_adk]

Just remember, if the government turned completely fascist and took control of the ISPs, they could theoretically look at every web page ever pulled up from your account.

Have you ever looked at the anarchist cookbook, pulled up some wacky porn or visited Al Jazeera?

Thankfully, I don't believe the US citizens would stand for such an outrage.[/b]

[XtremeJibber2001]

Just remember, if the government turned completely fascist and took control of the ISPs, they could theoretically look at every web page ever pulled up from your account.

Have you ever looked at the anarchist cookbook, pulled up some wacky porn or visited Al Jazeera?

Thankfully, I don't believe the US citizens would stand for such an outrage.[/b]

You're right they could. ATM law enforcement can already subpoena ISPs for your records if they have permission (via a judge and investigation) to do so.

[HelmetCam]

If google ever releases anything, they're done. There stock will crash and many users including myself will stop using it.

Where you gonna go? Yahoo, AOL, and MSN reportedly have also been asked and complied with the US Govt.

Bend over...

[XtremeJibber2001]

If google ever releases anything, they're done. There stock will crash and many users including myself will stop using it.

Where you gonna go? Yahoo, AOL, and MSN reportedly have also been asked and complied with the US Govt.

Bend over...

I haven't read anything about that...care to post some links?

[HelmetCam]

If google ever releases anything, they're done. There stock will crash and many users including myself will stop using it.

Where you gonna go? Yahoo, AOL, and MSN reportedly have also been asked and complied with the US Govt.

Bend over...

I haven't read anything about that...care to post some links?

not sure how reliable it is, which is why I said "reportedly". I'm not in the habit of counting on a blog as a primary source, but some of them are good watchdogs:
http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/060119-060352

[XtremeJibber2001]

If google ever releases anything, they're done. There stock will crash and many users including myself will stop using it.

Where you gonna go? Yahoo, AOL, and MSN reportedly have also been asked and complied with the US Govt.

Bend over...

I haven't read anything about that...care to post some links?

not sure how reliable it is, which is why I said "reportedly". I'm not in the habit of counting on a blog as a primary source, but some of them are good watchdogs:
http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/060119-060352

From that article it sounds like AOL, Yahoo, and MSN have not said yes. Overall, it appears they're leaning more towards no than yes. Although I only briefly looked over the article. Furthermore, the problem with google (over other search behemoths) is that they admittedly save EVERYTHING from e-mail to queries etc to help them build better products and/or algorithms.

[XtremeJibber2001]

Google sees its largest 1-day loss ever
Yahoo! results, worries about Internet advertising market, U.S. search inquiry spark sell-off.

January 20, 2006: 4:41 PM EST

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Google stock posted its largest single-day loss ever Friday as investors showed concern about prospects for the Internet advertising market and the company's role in a Justice Department lawsuit about Internet searches.

Shares in Google (Research) sank $36.98 to $399.46 -- about 8.5 percent -- in heavy trading on Nasdaq. Volume of 31 million shares was nearly triple the normal daily average.

The loss was the largest in both dollar and percentage terms. The shares previously lost 8.31 percent on Nov. 5, 2004. The previous record for dollar decline was $22.20 on Jan. 18, 2006.

Investors sent Yahoo tumbling Tuesday after the largest Internet media company surprised investors by posting earnings below expectations. (Full story)

Google said Thursday it was resisting a Justice Department subpoena that the company turn over search records for a case regarding an anti-pornography law. (Full story)

Google's stock has had a meteoric rise in its short time as a public company. The company initially offered its shares to the public at $85 on Aug. 19, 2004.

The stock reached an all-time closing high of $471.63 on Jan. 11, 2006.

Brokerage Sifel, Nicolaus & Company downgraded the stock to 'Sell' from 'Hold' this week, believing it is overvalued.

The analysts noted that Google's upward momentum and positive sentiment may be evaporating and that Yahoo's disappointing results will force investors to make a more realistic appraisal of the Internet search and advertising sector's prospects.

[yeti]

Allow me to make myself clear.

I hearby grant Big Brother my most sincere blessing to chase down and publicly stone child pornographers.

WTF is Google's problem?