  2kmaro Think Premium,ExMod 1 BC join:2000-07-11 ColossalCave clubs:  
| reply to R4M0N Re: Google put itself in this predicament
It does seem shameful that a refusal to give up personal information had to be made for such an obnoxious cause. But I think here in the States we've become accustomed to seeing strong defense of the accused's rights. To a degree this goes in that direction. I don't think Google was trying to protect the guilty so much as #1 - protecting their information base, #2 - protecting their income #3 - protecting all from unreasonable search and siezure in the future.
No company should be forced to turn over such information if proper procedures haven't been followed. I wouldn't think badly of a company if they voluntarily handed over that kind of informationi for a situation like this, but even that sets a bad precendent the next time the company has to go to court to try to prevent such disclosure just because some one (RIAA comes to mind) or government comes at them and says "you have to because I said to". |