DailyTech - Google Continues Fight Against US Government

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IT Google Continues Fight Against US Government
Michael Hoffman (Blog) - February 20, 2006 3:00 PM

28 comment(s) - last by AntiAmericanJi.. on Feb 21 at 10:35 PM

Google is alone in the battle against the DoJ -- Yahoo and Microsoft have both agreed to turn over search records

The US government demanded that Google turn over a week's worth of search records -- Google has officially rejected the demand. Although Google is willing to censor material in China, the company is not yet ready to violate the privacy of users in the United States. In a filing in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Google also claimed that the government's demand to turn over search information is simply impractical because it won't aid the government in its current crusade. Unfortunately, competitors like Microsoft and Yahoo have agreed to turn over data.

The Bush administration is seeking to compel Google to hand over Web search data as part of a bid by the Justice Department to appeal a 2004 Supreme Court injunction of a law to penalise Web site operators who allow children to view pornography.

Even though Google has lots of support, including backing from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), many users believe that it is only a matter of time before Google simply turns over the records that the US goverment has requested. To read the official Google response to the DoJ, please click here [PDF file].

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True Americans....

By creathir on 2/20/2006 4:41:28 PM , Rating: 2

Stick it to the American government...
Comply with the communists....
True Americans indeed.... </sarcasm>

- Creathir

RE: True Americans....

By Sunbird on 2/20/2006 5:04:54 PM , Rating: 2

The problem is the current US government is worse than the communists! O_o

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RE: True Americans....

By oTAL on 2/20/2006 6:25:43 PM , Rating: 2

Hrrrr... I truly hate the bush administration... and I applaud google... but I still wouldn't prefer to be ruled by the chinese govrnment. Not even close!!!! Scary thought.... *shudders*

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RE: True Americans....

By sieistganzfett on 2/20/2006 9:15:58 PM , Rating: 2

i dont know. both are pretty harsh and have had prisoners they never seem to bring to trial.

in america you get choices next election, in commusist china they get choices for you.

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RE: True Americans....

By ssvegeta1010 on 2/20/06, Rating: 0

RE: True Americans....

By cpeter38 on 2/21/2006 11:12:28 AM , Rating: 2

Are you NUTS????

If you truly believe that, why don't you go there!!!

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American spindoctors ain't good enough

By AntiAmericanJihad on 2/20/2006 11:45:58 PM , Rating: 1

The spin peddled by these patriotic American brownshirts on this site are funny as hell.

America points its finger about "Google internet censorship in China" but then turns around and demands that Google violate privacy rights in the self-appointed "Land of Liberty" itself. lmao.

This basic hypocrisy apparently doesn't register in the minds of brainwashed Americans.

The only thing they can do is to spindoctor the issue by instintively regurgitating tired Cold War propaganda phrases about Communism!

But that's life in Imperialist America.

God Bless the U$A.

RE: American spindoctors ain't good enough

By tommy2q on 2/21/2006 1:08:07 AM , Rating: 2

you give up your privacy rights when you break the law.

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RE: American spindoctors ain't good enough

By ted61 on 2/21/2006 1:14:00 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
you give up your privacy rights when you break the law.

When you break the law. Not in case you may be breaking the law or worse, in case the guy next to you is breaking the law.

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RE: American spindoctors ain't good enough

By Mant on 2/21/2006 1:35:03 PM , Rating: 2

what he said...

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RE: American spindoctors ain't good enough

By tommy2q on 2/21/2006 2:29:52 PM , Rating: 2

the law has been broken in this case. the government has the obligation and right to go after the offenders.

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What's the Big Deal?

By ohnnyj on 2/20/2006 5:04:52 PM , Rating: 2

First off, yes I can see how this could lead to future requests by the government for even more private data. However, isn't this request simply for anonymous information for a good cause (to track down child pornographers). So in this case shouldn't we not embrace technology as a way to lock these criminals away?

RE: What's the Big Deal?

By Le Québécois on 2/20/2006 6:56:48 PM , Rating: 2

For a good cause...or so it seems. Once the US government get its hands on this what's keeping them from using it for other purposes?

And one other thing, I didn't see it anywhere so I ask? Are they only asking for Google search records made in the US or for the whole world?

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RE: What's the Big Deal?

By Hacp on 2/20/2006 7:06:25 PM , Rating: 2

In the US I think. This is for a case where the Government is trying to prove that porno is running rampant and children can see it everywhere.

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RE: What's the Big Deal?

By Lifted on 2/20/2006 9:46:55 PM , Rating: 2

No, it has nothing to do with child pornography. It's about children searching for and accessing porn. The whole idea is rediculous because the US gov can't enforce adult websites from outside the US obey US laws. The gov can make US based businesses not display porn on the public pages, but that would only harm US businesses. Not very smart if you ask me as children can see all they want anyway.

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Thanksfully

By Perium on 2/20/2006 4:21:14 PM , Rating: 2

Thankfully someone has stuck it to the gov. GO GOOGLE!

RE: Thanksfully

By AstroCreep on 2/20/2006 4:54:17 PM , Rating: 2

Eh, I don't think that they really "Stuck" it to the government yet.
Unfortunately we haven't heard the last of this...
We can only cross our fingers that this will be a strong standing for our privacy.

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RE: Thanksfully

By dotdotperiod on 2/20/2006 5:04:21 PM , Rating: 2

Finally a company willing to stand up for people's rights.
This relates to unlawful search and seizure.
People’s privacy act.
I applaud google.

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FG!

By albundee on 2/20/2006 3:20:20 PM , Rating: 2

For The Horde! ... i mean For Google!

RE: FG!

By Araemo on 2/20/2006 3:55:27 PM , Rating: 2

I think you mean:
"For the Swarm!" ;P

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I dont hate MS or Yahoo

By shortylickens on 2/20/2006 3:34:17 PM , Rating: 4

While I'm not angry at the decisions made by Yahoo and Microsoft, I do worry that their actions may be establishing precedent.

Oh yes, HOORAY FOR GOOGLE!

Stick it to the Man

By Exodus220 on 2/20/2006 3:19:40 PM , Rating: 2

Way to go Google, stick it to the man. I wonder how long this will last though.

Go Google!

By ted61 on 2/20/2006 10:12:34 PM , Rating: 2

I am no fan of Google but I have nothing against them either. I don't think the Government should be allowed to search anything "just in case they can find something".

Never allow big brother to look out for your "best interest".

By Kilim on 2/21/2006 2:35:37 AM , Rating: 2

That foolish American government.....

Don't they realize all they have to do is give Google exclusive access to some ad revenue and they'll sell us out in a second. Oh wait a minute, that is ONLY in China.

Google has an obligation to its stockholders, not freedom.

Get the hell out of here

By Snuffalufagus on 2/21/2006 5:10:33 AM , Rating: 2

Seems hardly any of you deserve the freedom you have in America.

Ben still said it best

By marvdmartian on 2/21/2006 9:12:34 AM , Rating: 2

Ben Franklin, one of our country's founding fathers, still said it best:

quote:
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Once we start allowing the government to dictate what is and what it not a freedom, contrary to the wishes of our founding fathers and the wishes of the people, we have allowed ourselves to lose our own liberty.

America's Lies about Freedom

By AntiAmericanJihad on 2/21/2006 10:35:05 PM , Rating: 2

What happened to my original post "American spindoctors ain't good enough?" Why did you censor it?

Looks like my comments about the lie of American "Freedom" were proven all too true--by this oh so freedom-loving website no less. lmao.

As I said in my disappeared post, these patriotic American Brownshirts are so brainwashed they can't stand anyone questioning America itself and its fanatical belief in its supposed "freedom."

The same America that tries to cynically point its finger at China about Google is the same America that demands that Google violate privacy rights in the "Land of the Free."

The only way Americans and their flag-waving groupies can spindoctor away this basic hypocrisy is to offer up lame alibis about "going after law-breakers," mindlessly regurgitate patriotic propaganda phrases, or censor any real dissent that questions the lies upon which the USA is founded.

That is life in Imperialist America. Have another order of Freedom Fries....