43 Big Brother wants search engine data

Eventually, we become aware that everything revolves around sex. No matter what we do, we always come back to it. It’s what happened to the USA Department of Justice (DoJ) last year, although their take on the issue is from a rather adversative stand.

As reported by The Register, late last year the DoJ requested that several search engines hand over a big chunk worth of search log data. The request was a shot in the dark; it was not related to any particular criminal investigation. Rather, it was an attempt to collect evidence which would be used to support an anti-pornography law, most likely the same one that was denied by the Supreme Court two years ago (Child Protection Act).

Not that Google is any champion of righteousness when it comes to the data they gather (they make money off it, neh), but they refused nonetheless. “You dare defy us? We’ll see you in court,” said the DoJ, so that’s where they are now.

But it turned out well after all (for BB), since Yahoo, AOL and MSN said ‘Yes’. And since AOL uses Google data….

We, in Romania, are not strangers either to the gov acting like a prude (read “dumb bitch”) when it comes to pornography. Only a few years back they suggested that sites with pornographical content require registration and payment in exchange for access, and that sexy magazines sold at street corners have opaque covers that doesn’t show “too much” skin. They didn’t bother to consider jurisdiction over Internet (a troublesome issue anywhere), means of identity proof (how can a site be 100% sure I’m not a horny 13yr old?) or the fact that Romania didn’t have a viable online payment system at the time.

I for one don’t have any trouble imagining little Gigel popping in at the local Post Office and fill out a money order for access to pisicuteincalduri.ro — “it’s for Daddy, mam”. Then stopping at the corner store to pick up a bottle of votka and a pack of smokes (”for Dad, mam”). Finally, making its way home and partying with those two slutty chicks from class 8F. Minors have needs too.

I’m sure that everything we can do, the US can do better. Hereby proven. The audacity of the claim is stupefying. Order a private company to hand over data about users who may be located anywhere in the world, just for the heck of it, in case it proves useful. I can’t help suspecting that Big Brother is after something else actually, but they could have at least chosen a less outrageous claim. Why can’t they say it’s the terrorists?

Regardless, I would’t want to be one of the poor saps who have to sort through those search logs. Think about it.