more on Google sued over child porn claims

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
Date: May 6, 2006 3:02:43 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Cc: lauren () vortex com
Subject: Re: [IP] Google sued over child porn claims


Dave,

At one time, it looked like P2P/filesharing/piracy issues would be
the primary hook used to attack a broad range of completely legal
Internet applications and services -- perhaps leading to demands
that all content be continually monitored by service providers,
including search engines.  Since such monitoring is impractical, the
only alternative if push comes to shove is various levels of
shutdown.

But now we can see that broadly framed child porn accusations and
related issues represent an even more potent poison pill that could
ultimately and inappropriately bring an array of useful services to
their knees -- to our collective loss -- unless we start introducing
some sense into this debate immediately.

Google is the big target, so they're the first being attacked in
this way.  But if these tactics succeed, we'll see a never ending
array of hobbling and damaging monitoring and data retention demands
that will filter down eventually to ISPs, Web sites, and virtually
all other Internet services.  If we wait for this to become totally
obvious, it may be too late.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren () vortex com or lauren () pfir org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
   - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, IOIC
   - International Open Internet Coalition - http://www.ioic.net
Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
DayThink: http://daythink.vortex.com


 - - -

> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: EEkid () aol com
> Date: May 5, 2006 11:32:13 PM EDT
> To: dave () farber net
> Subject: Google sued over child porn claims
>
> Google sued over child porn claims
> A Long Island politician sued Google on Thursday claiming the search
> engine leader is profiting from illegal child pornography.
>
> Jeffrey Toback, a member of the Nassau County Legislature, said
> Google has paid links to Web sites containing pornography involving
> minors.
>
> "This case is about a multi-billion dollar company that promotes and
> profits from child pornography," said the complaint filed in state
> Supreme Court in Mineola.
>
> A Google spokesman denied the allegations and said the Californian-
> based company takes numerous steps to prevent access to child
> pornography.
>
> "When we find or are made aware of any child pornography, we remove
> it from our products, including our search engine," spokesman Steve
> Langdon said in an e-mail statement to The Associated Press. "We also
> report it to the appropriate law enforcement officials and fully
> cooperate with the law enforcement community to combat child
> pornography."
>
> Langdon also said Google offers a service called SafeSearch for its
> search engine "that works to filter out adult content."
>
> The lawsuit, which calls Google "the largest and most efficient
> facilitator and distributor of child pornography in th world," does
> not name other widely used search engines such as Yahoo or
> Microsoft's MSN.
>
> Toback said he filed suit because oversight over Google was far
> beyond the purview of county legislators.
>
> "This is a proactive step to keep children safe," Toback said in a
> telephone interview. "We had to go the judicial route."
>
> The lawsuit does not seek specific monetary damages, but wants Google
> to prohibit "advertising relating to Web sites that display, market
> or otherwise provide illegal access to pornography."
>
>
> http://www.smh.com.au/news/breaking/google-sued-over-child-porn-
> claims/2006/05/05/1146335905109.html
>
>
> -------------------------------------
> You are subscribed as lauren () pfir org
> To manage your subscription, go to
>   http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip
>
> Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting- 
> people/


-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as lists-ip () insecure org
To manage your subscription, go to
 http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/