US Gov't, COPPA, and Search Engines, Is this taking things too far? Options

[*Libertie*]

I'm sure most of you have heard about the recent demand by the Bush administration for four major search sites to hand over data. The requested information included frequent search strings and over a million random websites. Out of those four, AOL, MSN, and Yahoo complied with no question while Google refused. Now Google is ready to fight these demands in court.

As a quick background, COPPA was rejected two years ago by the Supreme Court with the ruling that it conflicted with the first amendment. For those who don't know, it required adults to either use access codes or to register with pornographic websites, and several other means to protect children from illicit material. Now the Bush administration is making a desperate attempt to revive the Child Online Privacy Protection Act by proving to the courts that something needs to be done.

Of course, the biggest concern is that yes, the government isn't asking for personal information YET. But what's the next step, linking these search strings to IP addresses? This would actually lead officials to the people making these searches, and this is precisely the reason that Google is refusing to give up this information - they aren't asking for data now, but what about when they get this information? They might see the number of people using certain search strings that could lead to illegal activity and decide to crack down. I think that's a perfectly valid concern.

In my opinion, Google has every right not to comply, and this action by the government is taking it way too far. I would not be at all surprised if the next step was to then ask for IP addresses.

Anyway, for those who only read the first paragraph:

What do you think about COPPA? Should it be revived, and is this the right way to go about reviving it?
Should Google be forced to give up this information?
Do you think the government will eventually demand personally identifying data?

Yes, discuss then.

[*disco infiltrator*]

The government wants control of the entire internet. They want to "protect" people from what may or may not be out there for public view, said or put there by other people (freedom of speech?). Blocking or censoring every thing put out on the internet is not the way to protect anyone from anything. If no one is ever exposed to the things of the world, knowledge won't be able to be spread. If a child is willingly searching for something out of curiosity, regulating what shows up is not going to protect them. What, may I ask, is the difference between knowing what boobies are when you're 10 or when you're 20? Chances are, that 10-year-old already knows without the internet.

[*Libertie*]

The government wants control of the entire internet. They want to "protect" people from what may or may not be out there for public view, said or put there by other people (freedom of speech?).

I agree, and if they had it their way the government itself would be the internet service provider.

Blocking or censoring every thing put out on the internet is not the way to protect anyone from anything. If no one is ever exposed to the things of the world, knowledge won't be able to be spread. If a child is willingly searching for something out of curiosity, regulating what shows up is not going to protect them. What, may I ask, is the difference between knowing what boobies are when you're 10 or when you're 20? Chances are, that 10-year-old already knows without the internet.

Which is why I'm very pleased that Google took a stand. I would be very uncomfortable knowing that people could actually end up being arrested at some point because the administration saw fit to start demanding IP addresses as well. The Bush administration wants the search strings because they want proof that there needs to be a change in order to revive COPPA, which to me is just as childish as taking the black bear off the endangered species list in order to drill in Yellowstone.