Comments on: Google Shortens Data Retention to 9 Months http://michaelzimmer.org/2008/09/09/google-shortens-data-retention-to-9-months/ information ethics : privacy : new media : values in design : 2.0 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:56:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: psup http://michaelzimmer.org/2008/09/09/google-shortens-data-retention-to-9-months/comment-page-1/#comment-160702 psup Sun, 30 May 2010 15:53:15 +0000 http://michaelzimmer.org/?p=794#comment-160702 In some countries like India, Thailand or Iran, speaking of annoying or blasphemous words to the King, Chief Judge, High Priests and other High People can lead to defamation charges. Now with blogs and online media such arrests are made easy. I received a news report from India on an arrest for the "cyber crime" of speaking annoying words through a computer. An ex-Bombay High Court Judge was apparently annoyed by a passage appearing on a blog and an arrest was ordered. http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/15/20100415201004150444035498c0a203/Ecole-Mondiale-staffer-arrested-for-defaming-exBombay-HC-judge.html The report says that Google identified IP address directly to police (no Court order). In 2008 you may remember the case of Rahul Krishnakumar Vaid http://techcrunch.com/2008/05/18/hit-pause-on-the-evil-button-google-assists-in-arrest-of-indian-man/ but I thought Google had learnt some lessons from doing that. But now, it seems Google is releasing IP addresses to Indian police again without Court orders. Why so, Google ? Have you forgotten the lessons from the Vaid incident ? Google says don't be evil, but are themselves reckless with your private identifying information and hands it to indian cops, most of whom are known to be corrupt. In some countries like India, Thailand or Iran, speaking of annoying or blasphemous words to the King, Chief Judge, High Priests and other High People can lead to defamation charges. Now with blogs and online media such arrests are made easy.

I received a news report from India on an arrest for the “cyber crime” of speaking annoying words through a computer. An ex-Bombay High Court Judge was apparently annoyed by a passage appearing on a blog and an arrest was ordered.

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/15/20100415201004150444035498c0a203/Ecole-Mondiale-staffer-arrested-for-defaming-exBombay-HC-judge.html

The report says that Google identified IP address directly to police (no Court order). In 2008 you may remember the case of Rahul Krishnakumar Vaid http://techcrunch.com/2008/05/18/hit-pause-on-the-evil-button-google-assists-in-arrest-of-indian-man/ but I thought Google had learnt some lessons from doing that. But now, it seems Google is releasing IP addresses to Indian police again without Court orders.

Why so, Google ? Have you forgotten the lessons from the Vaid incident ?

Google says don’t be evil, but are themselves reckless with your private identifying information and hands it to indian cops, most of whom are known to be corrupt.

]]> By: Anonymous http://michaelzimmer.org/2008/09/09/google-shortens-data-retention-to-9-months/comment-page-1/#comment-155910 Anonymous Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:33:34 +0000 http://michaelzimmer.org/?p=794#comment-155910 Google's blog announcement reports that the company will "anonymize IP addresses on our server logs after 9 months." IPs only. Google makes no mention of anonymizing cookie IDs (as in the previous 18 mo. policy) or any other type of fully-identifiable information. Also they give no date of activation or indicate if they will retroactively apply it to previous server logs. Google’s blog announcement reports that the company will “anonymize IP addresses on our server logs after 9 months.” IPs only. Google makes no mention of anonymizing cookie IDs (as in the previous 18 mo. policy) or any other type of fully-identifiable information. Also they give no date of activation or indicate if they will retroactively apply it to previous server logs.

]]>