Feds Seek Google Records in Porn Probe

AP Via Yahoo ^ | 2006-01-19

[flashbunny]

Imagine there was a nationwide chain of gun stores that everyone used. Kinda like the google of guns. They sell everything - handguns, evil assault weapons - you name it.

One day, the justice deparment wants to study the effects of the AWB sunset, to see if the availability of "assault weapons" have lead to an increase in certain types of crime.

So they subpoena EVERY 4473 from the chain in order to conduct their statistical study.

Doesn't matter if you broke any law. The federal government has access to your information - not because YOU committed a crime or they have probable cause - but merely because they WANT this information.

Would you support the federal government then?

[Doctor Stochastic]

It's hard to reason with the "Living Document" Conservatives.

[NJ_gent]

"It's called parenting. If you are not up to the job, don't have kids. Your neighbors and the government are not obligated to raise your kids for you because you are too lazy or preoccupied to watch them yourself."

The most down and dirty, no-holds-barred slap in the face of the Nanny State I've ever seen. Thank you for speaking the truth.

[dinoparty]

You've bought into the activist interpretation.

[steve-b]

I will call that a victory for me.

[Hank Rearden]

Um, I guess I can't allow my son to have friends, because their friends do not have a control on their PCs. And I guess I have to keep an eye on him all day, to make sure he doesn't head into the public library or an internet cafe either?

So, you want a bunch of people who could only get government jobs to babysit your kids? That level of feeble compliance is suitable only for the feebleminded and Russians.

[Itzlzha]

It's an especially worthless distinction, as you note. You can wrap yourself in the flag and make anything "political speech". We'll make a porn movie called "Banging For The USA" and tell everyone we're doing it to show our support for the President and the troops overseas, and bingo - it's "political speech".

Exactly, and in dino's world view...then nothing could be done about that Porn movie being marketed to kids, because it'd be "Political Speech"!

Not that this difficulty prevents the concept from being popular with a certain sort of naive soul who hasn't really thought much about this distinction between "political" and "nonpolitical" speech.

I don't believe he's naive...he seems to be the controling authority that AlGore couldn't seem to find.

I have morals and standards, but I will not have my freedoms impinged on/curtailed/corrupted by anyone...ANYONE on either side that has an agenda! And no one will be dictating my morals and standards to me!

I will die in the streets with the words "Revolution" on my lips, and my Bushmaster in my cold, dead hands before I surrender to that world view

[dinoparty]

If you had any understanding of the history of political thought, you would be pretty embarrassed to take the view that the government has no role in raising future citizens correctly.

[oceanview]

this is nuts.

hire some FBI agents to key in the search words, and when they find sites hosting child porn - find out where they are, and use legal due process to shut them down and bust them. what is so hard about that?

[dinoparty]

LOL, they have a thing for vibrating strings, I've heard.

[dirtboy]

This is a civil action, and the government has issued a subpoena as part of discovery.

And even under that standard, it is an abuse of power.

Google is not accused of wrongdoing. The government is exercising its subpeona power solely to gather statistical information. Which is an abuse of power, IMO.

[flashbunny]

but it's not even about child porn.

just about children being able to get regular porn online.

[Lurker]

Don't forget about a half dozen SCOTUS decisions.

L

[flashbunny]

if someone can't see what's wrong with the federal government going on fishing expeditions with its unlimited resources, then they are beyond hope.

[dinoparty]

Good for you. Dream on.

[antiRepublicrat]

Notice that this AP article repeatedly refers to "pornography," so you have to read it very closely to see that the administration is only concerned about CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.

This administration has also stated its desire to crank up the prosecution of "obscenity" in general.