Google asked to reveal searches

Google runs into trouble over supplying data

20 January 2006 14:50 GMT / By Stuart Miles

The US government is asking Google to turn over search records in an effort to defend a child pornography law in the US according to a report published Thursday.

Federal lawyers are hoping to secure information in an effort to defend the constitutionality of the Child Online Protection Act, which was struck down in 1994.

Although other search engines have agreed to help, Google has so far refused to comply with a subpoena issued last year for the search records, citing user privacy and maintaining company secrets.

The records in question include 1 million random Web addresses and a list of all Google searches from any one-week period, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

"Google is not a party to this lawsuit and their demand for information overreaches", Nicole Wong, an associate general counsel for Google, said in a comment to CNN.

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Software, Online, Search engines, Google