Big Brother, version 43.0

[geoviki]

I haven't seen much online discussion about the Bush administration subpoena for internet search records from Yahoo, MSN, and Google, which only Google is fighting (the other two caved rather easily). Justice Dept. lawyers will use this info, ostensibly, to concoct internet anti-porn laws that won't be struck down by the courts (unlike all their last efforts). I just read a terrific article on the deeper issue: why are these companies keeping records tying each IP to each search in the first place?

Keeping Secrets - by Tim Wu, professor at Columbia Law School.

It all goes back to this basic point: How free you are corresponds exactly to how free you think you are. And Americans today feel great freedom to tell their deepest secrets; secrets they won't share with their spouses or priests, to their computers. The Luddites were right—our closest confidants today are robots.

Comments

[idlerat.livejournal.com]

Perhaps you thought of me while brushing my teeth because I am a roDENT. :)

Did you happen to see the clip of that guy asking Bush if he'd seen Brokeback Mountain? It was really good. Maybe it would be good for him to see your searches.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I didn't see the clip itself, but a description said it was an "uncomfortable moment" for the Shrub.