Yahoo Gave Search Data To Bush Administration Lawyers [View All]

[swag]

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=177102061

Yahoo acknowledges handing over search data requested in a subpoena from the Bush administration, which is hoping to use the information to revive an anti-porn law that was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court.

By Antone Gonsalves
TechWeb News

Jan 19, 2006 03:03 PM

One of at least two major search engines subpoenaed by the Bush administration handed over search data in the government's efforts to revive an anti-porn law that was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Yahoo Inc., based in Sunnyvale, Calif., acknowledged on Thursday handing over search data, but insisted no personal information on users was given to government attorneys. The disclosure followed reports that rival search engine Google Inc. had refused to comply with a similar subpoena, issued last year.

The government had asked Google, based in Mountain View, Calif., for a broad amount of data, including a million random Web addresses and records of Google searches over any week, the Associated Press reported. The information came from U.S. Justice Department papers filed Wednesday in a San Jose, Calif., federal court.

A Yahoo spokeswoman said the company, which she described as a "rigorous" defender of user privacy, did not provide personal data in response to the Justice Department subpoena.

"In our opinion, this is not a privacy issue," spokeswoman Mary Osako said in an email. "We complied on a limited basis and did not provide any personally identifiable information."

. . . more