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Concern Grows over Privacy on the Internet

Why Google Won’t Give In http://www.forbes.com/technology/ebusiness/2006/01/24/internet-search-porn_cx_ckrr_0124google.html Google censors itself for China http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4645596.stm I’m not nuts: they really are out to get you http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-2006482,00.html The Coming Tug of War Over The Internet http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/21/AR2006012100094.html Survey Finds Solid Opposition to Release of Google Data to Feds http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/privacy/story/0,10801,107993,00.html Last week, the Justice Department announced that in an effort to uphold an online pornography law, it would begin to ask a number of companies, including Yahoo and Google, to turn over users’ search queries. While some companies acquiesced with their request, Google continues to resist, and the resulting media attention and public concern has continued to make many anxious. This week, a number of developments have continued to unfold, as a number of commentators have publicly chastised those companies that submitted to the Justice Department’s request. In another intriguing development, Google has acquiesced to a request from the Chinese government to censor access to thousands of sensitive terms and sites for those persons using their search engine. In a statement to the press, Google remarked, “While removing search results is inconsistent with Google’s mission, providing no information…is more inconsistent with our mission”. This decision upset a number of groups as well, including the group Reporters Without Borders, who remarked that this form of self-censorship was “a real shame”. The first link will take users to an audio feature from NPR that includes a number of guests discussing the recent action taken by the Justice Department. Those featured include Professor Tom Lee of Brigham Young University and Xeni Jardin, a NPR technology reporter. The second link will take users to a news piece from Forbes.com that talks about the implications this recent action will have for a number of different companies, including Microsoft and America Online. The third link leads to a nice piece of reporting from the BBC that offers additional information about Google’s decision to censor its search services in China. The fourth link whisks users away to an impassioned editorial piece in the Times by David Rowan about this recent bit of unpleasantness. The fifth link leads to a well-written piece by Christopher Stern (writing for the Washington Times) about the continuing “tug of war” over the nature of access to the Internet. The final link leads to a piece from Computer World that shows significant support for Google’s refusal to turn over web search results to the Justice Department.
Alternate Title
Search Engines and Privacy Rights on the Web
Scout Publication
Date Issued
2006
Language
Date of Scout Publication
January 27th, 2006
Date Of Record Creation
January 27th, 2006 at 8:03am
Date Of Record Release
January 28th, 2006 at 8:42pm
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