Google defies the US Department of Justice

[Onyx]

Google defies US over search data

Google has been resisting the government request since August.

The internet search engine Google is resisting efforts by the US Department of Justice to force it to hand over data about what people are looking for. Google was asked for information on the types of query submitted over a week, and the websites included in its index. The department wants the data to try to show in court it has the right approach in enforcing an online pornography law.

It says the order will not violate personal privacy, but Google says it is too broad and threatens trade secrets.

Privacy groups say any sample could reveal the identities of Google users indirectly. And they say the demand is a worrying precedent, because the government also wants to make more use of internet data for fighting crime and terrorism.

However, the Department of Justice has said that several of Google's main competitors have already complied. The department first issued a request for the data last August.

It wants:

* A list of terms entered into the search engine during an unspecified single week, potentially tens of millions of queries

* A million randomly selected web addresses from various Google databases.

The US government is seeking to defend the 1998 Child Online Protection Act, which has been blocked by the Supreme Court because of legal challenges over how it is enforced.

Google request fuels fears

Google's refusal to comply prompted US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to ask a federal judge in the state of California on Wednesday for an order to hand over the records. But Google's lawyers said it would fight the order.

"Google is not a party to this lawsuit and their demand for information overreaches," associate general counsel Nicole Wong said in a written statement.

"We had lengthy discussions with them to try to resolve this, but were not able to, and we intend to resist their motion vigorously."

Search decisions

Google has also said that providing the data would make its users think it was willing to reveal personal information about them, as well as giving competitors access to trade secrets.

One of its search rivals, Yahoo, said it had already complied with a similar government subpoena "on a limited basis and did not provide any personally identifiable information".

And Microsoft said in a statement that it "works closely with law enforcement officials worldwide to assist them when requested". "It is our policy to respond to legal requests in a very responsive and timely manner in full compliance with applicable law," it said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4630694.stm

[pharoh]

Ok I am on google's side with this one, if they push the issue, then I would move the servers to another country, end of problem

[Wounds Within]

Today on Wallstreet many investors (including myself) showed concern about prospects for the Internet advertising market and the company's role in a Justice Department lawsuit about internet searches.

The Google stock just had reached an all time closing high of $471.63 on Jan. 11th this year.

I do agree with Google, but sadly the stock will continue to fall.

[The_Dark]

You know... all the other major searches gave the Feds the info. Why? Becuase what they actually asked for contained nothing persanel.

[Lilith]

How do we the people know it contained nothing personal we just know what this article and what Microsoft and Yahoo and the Justice dept say, and Google says it has reason to be concerned. I think if one party has the balls enough to stand against some major powers in the country then we might want to stop and really examine what may be contained. I am sure Google knows its stock will fall but they seem not to worry about money, when people companies put good ole green money on the back burner we should stop and think about this.

I have seen a few things i know as a consumer that has already made me not trust companies like Microsoft before this was ever brought up.

[Homicidalheathen]

Good for google for sticking up for us. I have nothing to hide except I am interested in serial killers, cannibals.......plant entheogens.....Hookers.....gays........oh yah keep my shit private heh.

[The_Dark]

Because all they asked for was one weeks worth of keywords.

[Lilith]

I dont know it takes some big balls or some reason that we obviously dont know to take on others who are bigger and "badder" then youself. Perhaps google knows that a persons Id/isp tag or what ever it is called is located in the colomn right next to that key word that is typed in.

[The_Dark]

But they didn't ask for that info and it wasn't given by the other searches. Just the keywords searched for. The reason for this is in prep for some new regulations.

What they are trying to determine is how easy it is for kids to accidently find porn on the internet.

[Lilith]

it makes me wonder, if they already have samplea from two other large sources why would google be ohh so important cant they gather enough eveidence from what they have already gotten? Why waste more of our tax dollars pushing the issue and how would key words and a list of sites determine how easy it is or not for a CHild gain access to internet porn.

I do give Google allot of credit for sticking up for its users privacy weather they have a real reason to worry or not.

I am just saying it leaves allot to imagine of what is actually going on behind the scenes becasue in reality we the people never know what hidden agenda is on some one plate. Our GOv has not been trust worthy nor has any of its supporting companies.

Just leave allot to question and i think we would be ignorant not to question our Governments actions and why.

( i am not mentally equiped for a battle/challenge over poalicy and gov i have seen enough posts from you to know i would probally loose i was just raising my questions)

[The_Dark]

with the info they asked for... I don't think they are going to get what they want. From what I gather they are going to build a data base and figure out probalitys. Like say... a majority of people are searching for "Red and Onion"... how many links till they get naked pics?

It's the amount of data thats going to toss a wrench in... one weeks worth of keywords is about 1billion words per search engine.

[The_Dark]

oh... Thank you... I will take that as a compliment.

[Msterbeau]

You know... all the other major searches gave the Feds the info. Why? Becuase what they actually asked for contained nothing persanel.

Well... that may be true. But they also cite trade secrets as one of their reasons for not complying. The govt. wants both the keywords AND the resultant list of web sites. I'm sure someone more clever then you or I could begin to descern Google's alogrythms for how it ranks results. On that basis, I can understand their reluctance.

[DisturbedMania]

Do parents exist? Did this current generation miss the boat? Why is the government trying to find out how easy it is for a kid to access porn? It's easy, alot of words trigger it! But, I don't see how the government needs to monitor this- that's what parents are for. That's why the parent should be checking the history files after a kid logs off the internet. I could think of better ways to spend tax money for a country with such a large national debt. Trying to find out how easy it is to find porn on the net, waste of time and tax dollars! We'd be better off spending the money on programs to teach people to be better parents!

[BlackHound]

I'm with google

[Lilith]

oh... Thank you... I will take that as a compliment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lol i am glad you are as it was meant to be more of that nature then anything else.

[soothsayer]

I'm with google on this one. We have to drawn the line somewhere at allowing this administration to take our privacy away in the name of fighting terrorists. Bush is by far the worst President this country has had in a long time. He will not be remembered fondly in the history books.

[Wounds Within]

Google has agreed to censor its results in China, adhering to the country's free speech restrictions in return for better access in the Internet's fastest growing market.