Google refuses data request

Damien · 20-01-2006, 15:03

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4630694.stm

Yeah!

Go Google, this is exactly what I was talking about in the other topic

Bifta · 20-01-2006, 15:57

If I were google, I'd relocate my servers in another country not governed by the USA and politely tell them to stuff it up their holes.

Nugget · 20-01-2006, 16:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

If I were google, I'd relocate my servers in another country not governed by the USA and politely tell them to stuff it up their holes.

Be fair matey - you probably wouldn't tell them politely

Bifta · 20-01-2006, 16:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nugget

Be fair matey - you probably wouldn't tell them politely

Yeah I would, they've probably got some law allowing them to extradite me to Guatanamo if I'm rude.

danielf · 20-01-2006, 16:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

Yeah I would, they've probably got some law allowing them to extradite me to Guatanamo if I'm rude.

You'd probably be allright if you don't do it anonymously

punky · 20-01-2006, 16:17

Wasn't so long ago that search engines like Yahoo used to have links where you can watch people search. That used to be fun, watching people search for "top hats and tuxedos for donkeys" or something. How times have changed.

Anyway, moving servers wouldn't help. Google is an American corporation, and as such have to respond legally to any supoenas its given, regardless where the information is stored. The only way around it is to start up the company in another country and close down the American side, but they won't do that.

Nugget · 20-01-2006, 16:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

Yeah I would, they've probably got some law allowing them to extradite me to Guatanamo if I'm rude.

Good point

Still, Cuba's meant to be nice this time of year

**Chris** · 20-01-2006, 16:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

The only way around it is to start up the company in another country and close down the American side, but they won't do that.

Didn't Microsoft start threatening to move to Canada when they were being dragged through the courts over anti-trust issues?

Gareth · 20-01-2006, 16:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

Wasn't so long ago that search engines like Yahoo used to have links where you can watch people search. That used to be fun, watching people search for "top hats and tuxedos for donkeys" or something. How times have changed.

Yeah, Metaspy used to do that... I'd forgotten all about it. They had a safe-for-work and a not-safe-for-work (which is basically the unfiltered stuff).... of course the naughty searches are always the funniest ones.

The URL was www.metaspy.com ...I'm at work so can't check if it's still there or not.

Ramrod · 20-01-2006, 16:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gareth

The URL was www.metaspy.com ...I'm at work so can't check if it's still there or not.

It is and you still can watch search requests.....that takes me back, it used to be my fave search engine

Paddy1 · 20-01-2006, 16:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

but they won't do that.

But it's all about the threat. Remember, money talks. Didn't the DOJ back down against MS when ole Bill threatened to up sticks en-masse and move to Canada.

kronas · 20-01-2006, 17:30

the worrying thing is it seems yahoo and microsoft comply with the subpoenas

punky · 20-01-2006, 19:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paddy1

But it's all about the threat. Remember, money talks. Didn't the DOJ back down against MS when ole Bill threatened to up sticks en-masse and move to Canada.

I think its rather worrying when businesses get so big they can blackmail the government like that

Quote:

the worrying thing is it seems yahoo and microsoft comply with the subpoenas

Not really. They are lawful requests for information. They are meant to be complied with. They aren't voluntary.

If a rapist was caught leaving the scene of a crime on someone's CCTV and the store owner refused to comply with a subpoena for the video footage, would you be happier with that?

Damien · 20-01-2006, 19:36

This is not the same though punky. This was not a individual request for a bit of information relating to a crime. It was a blanket set of information across all results that people have searched with google.

Google are right not to hand over a massive amount of users searches to the goverement when its not relating to a crime

NitroNutter · 20-01-2006, 19:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

I think its rather worrying when businesses get so big they can blackmail the government like that Not really. They are lawful requests for information. They are meant to be complied with. They aren't voluntary. If a rapist was caught leaving the scene of a crime on someone's CCTV and the store owner refused to comply with a subpoena for the video footage, would you be happier with that?

big difference there. They have a very good idea a cctv camera may have caught a specific perpetrator.

That is completely different to asking for information in a general term because some people per thousand maybe breaking the law. I suspect that it would also be against the DPA for anyone to hand over such information without first gaining permission or having all users make the option per search.