TechWinter

You may think I am over reacting but, honestly this is horrific and mortifying to think that a judge just ordered Google to turn over my private data to Viacom. I am truly sickened by this and am actually quite uncertain as to what I will do with this precedent now (apparently) set in the US.

Quote:
“………….Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney Kurt Opsahl called the court’s decision a significant reversal to privacy rights.

The judge’s verdict ignores US federal law as well as a “fiasco” that occurred after America Online gave researchers what it thought was anonymous search data, Opsahl said.

People’s online searches can accidentally reveal identities even without accompanying onscreen nicknames or IP addresses, according to Opsahl.

“The court’s incorrect ruling is a set-back to privacy rights and will allow Viacom to see what you are watching on YouTube,” he said.

The case, and this judgment, could have broad consequences for Internet content and user behavior. The giving out of copyrighted materials online, both in music and video, has become commonplace in recent years, creating tension between copyright holders who believe they should control their material and Internet users who wish to share and manipulate the content.

Google requested Thursday that the judge reconsider the ruling.

“We see no reason why Viacom and the other petitioners seek or require such information,” Google said in a letter filed with the court. “Given plaintiffs’ stated reason for seeking information from the logging database … potentially personal identifiable information should be irrelevant.”

Source: Google Keeps The Code, Viacom Gets Access To 12TB YouTube Data

How will this affect us in Europe as I know the EU has required (I believe) US companies to keep user data hosted in Europe so maybe this is just a US issue but I worry it isn’t and am unhappy regardless. What if there was ever a reason to open my Gmail? OMG… Grey hair overnight if that happened.

What do you think?