Google defies US over search data

Stolen from the BBC ... Google fights back ...

The internet search engine Google isresisting efforts by the US Departmentof Justice to force it to hand over dataabout what people are looking for. Google was asked for information onthe types of query submitted over aweek, and the websites included in itsindex. The department wants the data to tryto show in court it has the rightapproach in enforcing an onlinepornography law. It says the order will not violatepersonal privacy, but Google says it istoo broad and threatens trade secrets. Privacy groups say any sample couldreveal the identities of Google usersindirectly. And they say the demand isa worrying precedent, because thegovernment also wants to make moreuse of internet data for fighting crimeand terrorism. However, the Department of Justicehas said that several of Google's maincompetitors have already complied. Act blockedThe department first issued a requestfor the data last August. It wants: A list of terms entered into thesearch engine during an unspecifiedsingle week, potentially tens ofmillions of queries A million randomly selected webaddresses from various Googledatabases.The US government is seeking todefend the 1998 Child Online ProtectionAct, which has been blocked by theSupreme Court because of legalchallenges over how it is enforced. Google's refusal to comply promptedUS Attorney General Alberto Gonzalesto ask a federal judge in the state ofCalifornia on Wednesday for an orderto hand over the records. But Google's lawyers said it would fightthe order. "Google is not a party to this lawsuitand their demand for informationoverreaches," associate generalcounsel Nicole Wong said in a writtenstatement. "We had lengthy discussions with themto try to resolve this, but were not ableto, and we intend to resist their motionvigorously." Search decisionsGoogle has also said that providing thedata would make its users think it waswilling to reveal personal informationabout them, as well as givingcompetitors access to trade secrets. One of its search rivals, Yahoo, said ithad already complied with a similargovernment subpoena "on a limitedbasis and did not provide anypersonally identifiable information". And Microsoft said in a statement thatit "works closely with law enforcementofficials worldwide to assist them whenrequested". "It is our policy to respond to legalrequests in a very responsive andtimely manner in full compliance withapplicable law," it said. BBC News Online is on the web atbbc.co.uk/news