Big Brother ISN'T Watching
by Fred Gates
File this under "much ado." If you haven't seen the story yet, Google is refusing to release to Federal prosecutors lists of random text strings typed into the popular search engine, in an effort to see how effective porn filters are. Now as HUGE free-speech advocate, my opinion in this matter might suprise you. Most of the news stories underplay a crucial point: that the text strings are presented ANONYMOUSLY. All the other search engines have complied and I don't see what the big deal is. If there is no personal identification connected to the data, I'd have to agree with Yahoo spokeswoman Mary Osako:
"We are vigorous defenders of our users' privacy. We did not provide any personal information in response to the Justice Department's subpoena. In our opinion this is not a privacy issue."
So let's all just CHILL. As you can see from the following text (provided through The Freedom of Information Act), random search data is just that, random. So put aside your paranoia and read on (provided you don't fall asleep):
----------------------------------------------
F.O.I.A. request doc. # 20981-76522-8765611
----------------------------------------------
subject/synopisis: random search string from ------(redacted) search engine records
date: 01/13/06 reason for request: none given
#indicates new search terms
----------------------------------------------
(text searches)
mustard shelf life#
(within results) keep#
muscle car california#
(within results) joe cantoli#
osako family history#
ex husband revenge stories support#
(within results): success jail time no#
(within results): statute of limitations#
mary osako#
mary osako press yahoo quote#
mary osako resume#
dilbert cartoon cubicle#
(within results) potted cactus#
(within results) cactus joke#
(within results) rude cactus#
joe cantoli football star kenmore west high california#
cantoli football 1983 prom#
joe cantoli#
joe cantoli blog photo#
joe cantoli blog#
"mary osako" joe cantoli#
natural remedies cold sore organic#
(within results) genital#
(within results) factors thong#
(within results) detergent#
rash disease itch symptom#
(within results) genital#
support std groups california#
suicides historical std#
purchase online 4:20 drug#
craigs list pot california ad#
mary osako blogs#
m. osako reference#
keep frozen broth chicken months#
meat loaf recipe spicy#
mary's famous meat loaf#
find joe cantoli#
royal osako#
osako hot blog#
famous osako#
cnet news mary osako#
dead husband jokes ex#
(within results) lawsuit#
revenge funny safe ex#
bush monkey face funny#
monkey cute#
(image searches)
monkies#
monkey animal cute#
joe cantoli#
mary osako (no results)#
osako#
osako yahoo#
osako news#
jim osako#
panda#
panda cute#
thong panda#
(news searches)
osako yahoo#
osako famous quote
---------------------------------------------- end of file ----------------------------------------------