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Ear to the Ground

Judge Orders Google to Turn Over Some Data

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Posted on Mar 14, 2006

A federal judge says he will require the search engine company to provide the government with some search-query data in connection with the Justice Dept.’s attempts to revive an online child pornography law.

It’s unclear what kind of and how much data the judge will order turned over.

That strange shifting underneath your feet? It’s the slippery slope we’re all sliding down, toward an Orwellian future.

Truthdig’s Google expert Mark Malseed has the skinny on the implications of this battle.


AP:

SAN JOSE, Calif. - A federal judge said Tuesday he intends to require Google Inc. to turn over some information to the Department of Justice in its quest to revive a law making it harder for children to see online pornography.

U.S. District Judge James Ware did not immediately say whether the data will include words that users entered into the Internet’s leading search engine.

The legal showdown over how much of the Web’s vast databases should be shared with the government has pitted the Bush administration against the Mountain View-based company, which resisted a subpoena to turn over any information because of user privacy and trade secret concerns.

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By R. A. Earl, March 15, 2006 at 6:59 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Before I get taken to task on this topic, let me clear up an oversight in my earlier posting…

IN NO WAY are my views to be considered in support of pornography (whatever that is). The human body is a gorgeous creation (when the owner takes care of it, that is).

When considered, respected and represented as a work of art in prose, poetry, sculpture, film, canvas or even live, there is nothing “porno” about it.

But it is an abhorrent crime to use/abuse ANYONE, including a child of any age, for perverse gratification and/or profit. Life sentences should be mandatory for anyone caught participating in the production/distribution of child porno… and I mean LIFE… not a few years in the slammer then back on the streets for “good behavior.” Those caught with child porn in their possession should receive a mandatory 25 year sentence, again no time off.

Of course, American laws and courts are powerless to control the rest of the world in this regard. And right there the “war” is lost. With the right technology any file can be encrypted and transmitted and will defeat any detection by any “authority.”

However, do consider that those creeps are few and far between. Sure, find them and come down on them with all you’ve got… BUT, Americans, for cripes sake look before you leap into piling on the laws. Your propensity to “knee jerk” reactions that dispense with personal freedoms, to interfere with the freedoms of ALL, in an attempt to handicap the evil but miniscule few, is neither intelligent nor fair, even when such draconian measures are effective!

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By R. A. Earl, March 15, 2006 at 11:46 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

I profoundly doubt the government is the least bit interested in “making it harder for children to see online pornography” but that excuse is so motherhood and apple pie that they can’t miss with it.

BTW, would someone please refer me to the research journal or journals where it’s been proven that ANY CHILD HAS EVER BEEN HARMED BY VIEWING A “PORNOGRAPHIC” IMAGE.

I submit that almost to a child, a porno image would be profoundly BORING (as it should be to any mature adult, but let’s not go there). I further submit what would likely TRAUMATIZE the child would be its PARENT’S HYSTERICAL REACTION to the knowledge their child has viewed pornography.

Seeing naked sweaty bodies brings on a point and snicker reaction that’s likely forgotten in minutes. But to experience your parents going berzerk is an event that’s burned into your psyche forever.

Isn’t it time to GROW UP, AMERICA?

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By fenwick, March 14, 2006 at 10:38 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Once again - big brother is watching.......

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