[lit-ideas] freedom of speech.....or typing.....or thinking....or whatever
- From: JimKandJulieB@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 15:20:36 EST
Google throws out US data demand
Google has formally rejected a demand from the US government to hand over a
week's worth of search records.
The rejection was made in court documents Google filed in response to
official demands for search data.
In the strongly-worded papers Google said the request would violate the
privacy of its users and reveal trade secrets to its rivals.
It also added that handing over the data was impractical and would not
accomplish what the government wanted.
Rejection letter
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) made the request for a week's worth of
search records in late January. It made similar requests of other big net firms
such as Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL.
Initially, Google resisted the request from the DoJ and in court documents
filed over the weekend has formally rejected it. The 25 page document uses
strong language to criticise the request for a list of the search terms used in
a typical week.
The DoJ has made the request to shore up attempts to show that voluntary
regulation is not doing a good enough job of keeping children free of the
unsavoury material, largely pornographic, that exists online.
The document expressed its disbelief in US goverment assertions that the list
of search words would help understand user behaviour.
"This statement is so uninformed as to be nonsensical," comments the
document.
Google said the government request was flawed because it constantly tuned the
algorithms behind the index that returns particular sites for particular
search terms.
This tinkering means that results for one search may not be the same from
week to week.
Google also said that it would take more than a week of work by one of its
engineers to compile the list.
The documents go on to say: "Google users trust that when they enter a search
query into a Google search box ... that Google will keep private whatever
information users communicate absent a compelling reason."
The American Civil Liberties Union also filed court documents supporting
Google's stance.
Lawyers for the ACLU wrote: "This subpoena is the latest example of
government overreaching, in which the government apparently believes it can
demand
that private entities turn over all sorts of information about their customers
just because the government asserts that it needs the information."
A court hearing to decide the row is scheduled for 13 March.
Despite its stand against the DoJ demands for search data, Google has been
heavily criticised in recent weeks for its stance in China where it is
co-operating with the regime's demands for control of the net.
In early February at a US Congressional hearing Microsoft, Yahoo, Cisco
Systems and Google all faced strong criticism over how they conducted
themselves
in China.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/4731640.stm
Published: 2006/02/20 10:15:08 GMT
© BBC MMVI
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