[governance] Rights and Privacy: Questioning Google's Privacy Reform

[Jeffrey A. Williams]

David and all,

  David, regarding your response to Fouad.  We really don't
know what Google has done in regards to cooperation with
other governments for a fact.  What we do know is that
Google has used the data it has collected from it's search
engine users for the USDOJ.  Therefore one can extrapolate,
but not for certain, that Google has also done similar with
other countries citizens that have used it's collected data.
The much more important question is, should they have, if they
did, and under what circumstances?  If they were issued a
court order to do so and didn't step up/stand up for their
users privacy rights, should they have?  I say yes.  Others
of course may, and likely do, disagree.

  But frankly, the best thing Google can, and in my opinion
should do is not to collect PII information from any of it's
users.  As such, and if a "Internet Bill of Rights" where privacy
is a key right that cannot be abridged or marginalized, such
changes in operation of companies like Google is necessary
for such rights to be recognized and realized fully.

  Further, and additionally what will also be needed if a
"Internet Bill of Rights" where privacy is a key right that
cannot be abridged or marginalized is to be recognized and
fully realized, citizens/users of the Internet will need to be
very vocal and insistant in letting their government officials
and elected representatives know that they don't want their
Pii spread all over the place helter skelter or released, shared,
or other wise used in any way without their expressed written
permission.  Users need a legalized Opt-out provision that
is very inclusive for this to work, or strong legal statutes,
and/or changes in their respective countries Constitutions
will be necessary.

Semper Fi,

Spokesman for INEGroup LLA. - (Over 281k members/stakeholders strong!)
"Obedience of the law is the greatest freedom" -
   Abraham Lincoln

"Credit should go with the performance of duty and not with what is
very often the accident of glory" - Theodore Roosevelt

"If the probability be called P; the injury, L; and the burden, B;
liability depends upon whether B is less than L multiplied by
P: i.e., whether B is less than PL."
United States v. Carroll Towing  (159 F.2d 169 [2d Cir. 1947]
===============================================================
Updated 1/26/04
CSO/DIR. Internet Network Eng. SR. Eng. Network data security IDNS.
div. of Information Network Eng.  INEG. INC.
ABA member in good standing member ID 01257402 E-Mail
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