Google Plays Up The Privacy Reasons For Not Handing Over Data
from the well,-of-course dept
Last month when it first came out that Google had refused to turn over search data when a Justice Department subpoena asked for it (in a case not involving Google), lots of people focused on how Google was protecting user privacy. The reality probably had more to do with protecting Google trade secrets. Now Google has filed a response that discusses both reasons for turning down the request, while also calling the feds "uninformed" about how search technology works. It may be true that both reasons were important, but would Google have been so concerned about the privacy issues if there weren't trade secret issues as well?Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
No Subject Given
End of discussion.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I second that Emotion....
Nay, nicht, nie, nein.
Google has made it fairly clearly already that they are unconcerned with political principles [E.g. Freedom of Speech] and more concerned with their capital....
Unmodestly displayed in the whole China governmental debacle, they obvious don't give a flying flyuck about the 1st Ammendendment which they enjoy and profit from in the USA.
Only their bottom line.
To Google, Business Ethics is an oxymoron.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I second that Emotion....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I second that Emotion....
If the Bush Administration is haveing a problem with Google only, why not be fair and also go after Palm, and almost 99.9% of all other American companies outsourcing manufacturing products in China because its much cheaper and sell them in the US market. At lease we would get millions of jobs back in the U.S.
If this president knows his ass from his face, then he should be posing huge taxes on imports and ban outsourcing. This would create many jobs, and pay off the huge debt. Also make taxes fair for everyone, not just the rich.
Hmm ya, I know, we all like our Lexuses, Hondas, VWs Toyotas, and many other nice things from europe, But if you get your facts streight, most of those cars are made in Detroit, California and New York which is fine.
OK I got somewhat off topic, but:
All im saying that our money is being outsourced too.
If we dont have jobs, and banks dont have money because we are in debt, and owe billions to china and europe, WTF are we going to do? Stick our thumbs in our asses?
You guys should start watching C-SPAN more, THERE IS BIG TROUBLE AHEAD in the US Economy. America is soooo FUCKED UP, that it will take at least 10 years to get it back on track to where we were 6 years ago!
I know I can watch C-Span all day, CUZ I HAVE NO JOB!!!!!!
Thanks you fucking cocksuckers Bush and Cheney and your damn war machine criminal administration, oh ya and your oil company and your defence company and haliburton. Why else would one want endless war if you own a defence company .. duh..
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I second that Emotion....
Hmmm
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I second that Emotion....
Wow.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I second that Emotion....
Yay for our god-given right to linguistic parochialism! British English ought to be *banned*.
And btw, when you are referring to the political party, you ought to capitalize it like this: "Democrat", "Democratic" (and same with Republican), because otherwise your expressed meaning is "a supporter of democracy" -- which is hardly an insult, I hope you'll agree.
Also "complaing" ought to be spelled "complaining", and your "well Duh" ought to be spelled "Well, duh"
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I second that Emotion....
You shouldn't be so hard on the Bush Administration, my man.
Democrats ---> tax the hell out of you
Republicans ---> tax the hell out of your kids
Yeah, I'm down with that.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I second that Emotion....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I second that Emotion....
It's scary just how many people have missed the point on this one, despite it being explained over and over again.
People aren't upset about that specifically. They're upset that Google made certain promises, saying that they would never do such a thing -- and then backed down on it. It was Google going back on its word that upset people.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Google - Raw Video Footage
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
What do they need to do to get back in the good graces of techies? Give out candy?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: No Subject Given
Yep, free candy and a reversal back to the way they were 3 years ago when they weren't full of sh!t advertising. And free candy, and they have to cry and apologize for being so mean on national TV so we can all poke at them with pointy sticks.
Techies are mad 'cuz they've turned into Dr. FrankenGoogle's Monster, and put their unwelcome private parts in front of political issues.
Blame--->Google.
Capitalist company willing to censor for the sake of bad Communism in China?
They don't deserve to operate in the West... we have a little problem with overly-oppressive governments for some reason. Probably because we've fought against it for well over a century.
'Git the learn on
--Professor HighBrow
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Why is everyone complaining?
You security nuts are just that, nuts. Have any of you worked for the government? I used to work for the federal government and let me tell you that they are so backed up with information and the whole system is so bureaucratic that even if they had back doors to everything they wouldn't know anything. The problem with intelligence isn't lack of information but lack of ability to process it. Get a life.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Google is not as bad as you think
Google is not the devil. Every company will protect trade secrets it is not a new thing. I would trust google more than i would Yahoo. Yahoo already sells some of your information.
They are not perfect by any means but a company as big as they are now is going to start getting looked at with a magnifing glass. Google has pushed the search engine industry to improve...is that something to get mad about..they have pushed innovation, they have changed the way some tech offices run....many good things have come out of google...but with ANY company they are going to be concerned with profits specially if they have stock. They constantly push to make Wallstreet expectations.
Give them a break....they at least stood up to them for whatever reason and didn't release the information.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Google is not as bad as you think
[ link to this | view in chronology ]