US Government wants more search information

Found on The Inquirer on Thursday, 30 March 2006
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In a bid to prop up its failed Child Online Protection Act, the US Department of Justice has ordered 34 Internet service providers, search companies, and security software firms to hand over information on its customers' search habits.

The DoJ wants customer search information from AT&T, Comcast Cable, Cox Communications, EarthLink, LookSmart, Symantec, and Verizon. Apparently some have said no and the DoJ is taking them to court too.

The DoJ seems particularly interested in the search engine LookSmart, this is because the outfit runs an Internet content filtering software company called Net Nanny.

One of the reasons that the DoJ wants the data is to prove that such companies are not effective in blocking child access to sites that contain porn or paedophiles.

Why should the companies do the blocking? It should be the job of the parents to watch their kids. However, this makes it easier to introduce filtering and censorship; because it's "for the kids". Once established, it's way easier to extend it.