How far will the US Justice Department Go

Hopefully, everyone has heard how google if refusing to turn over records on millions of its users' search queries. The Justice Department is asking a judge to compel google to release this information as part of the government's effort to uphold an online pornography law. Google has rightly refused to fulfill the request, but maybe the most overlooked part of this news story is the fact that MSN, Yahoo!, and AOL have already provided this information. So, if you have used any of those search engines then the government already knows what you have been searching for.

Now don't forget, the government wants this information, not to protect us from terrorists (which would still be scandalous, but more in line with their current practices), but to establish a profile of internet use that will help to defend the Child Online Protection ACT.

Now if haven't heard of this act, here is some interesting information and history on it. Passed in 1998, it would impose tough criminal penalties on individuals whose web sites carried material deemed harmful to minors. Already it sounds a bit over-reaching at least to me. To begin with, not all material on the internet is intended for children. In fact, I would say less than 1% of the internet was even designed with children in mind, but of course we must protect the children at all costs. Haven't you ever heard of a filter? Hello parents, wake the fuck up and do your job of raising and looking after your own damn children. Quit making my life all roses and candy canes, just so that your children aren't infected by the big bad world out there.

Apparently though, I'm not the only one having issues with this act. It has repeatedly been challenged, and in 2004 the Supreme Court upheld an injunction on enforcement of the law. They sent the case back to a district court for further examination of Internet-filtering technology that might be an alternative in achieving the law's aims. There you have it. Big Brother is looking over your shoulder or at least wants to be, but don't worry there is no need to get all paranoid or anything (Ha).