Feds Ordered Google To Unmask Certain YouTube Users. Critics Say It’s ‘Terrifying.’
www.forbes.com
external-link
The federal government asked Google to turn over information on anyone who viewed multiple YouTube videos. Privacy experts say the orders are unconstitutional.

If the linked article has a paywall, you can access this archived version instead: https://archive.ph/zyhax

The court orders show the government telling Google to provide the names, addresses, telephone numbers and user activity for all Google account users who accessed the YouTube videos between January 1 and January 8, 2023. The government also wanted the IP addresses of non-Google account owners who viewed the videos.

“This is the latest chapter in a disturbing trend where we see government agencies increasingly transforming search warrants into digital dragnets. It’s unconstitutional, it’s terrifying and it’s happening every day,” said Albert Fox-Cahn, executive director at the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project. “No one should fear a knock at the door from police simply because of what the YouTube algorithm serves up. I’m horrified that the courts are allowing this.” He said the orders were “just as chilling” as geofence warrants, where Google has been ordered to provide data on all users in the vicinity of a crime.

@Mango@lemmy.world
link
fedilink
English
18M

removed by mod

@gibmiser@lemmy.world
link
fedilink
English
258M

Lovely. Wonder what the videos were?

ASMR videos of a parent proud of me

@Wes_Dev@lemmy.ml
link
fedilink
English
168M

When companies tell you they respect your privacy and you should give them your data, you tell them it doesn’t matter. Because policies can change, and at the end of the day, your privacy isn’t always up to an single company.

Wait. This was last year, so not the capitol riot. What happened in January last year? I’m in a decent mood today. Just going to skip looking deeper into this one. I have Factorio to play!

For anyone wondering what the videos were:

In a just-unsealed case from Kentucky reviewed by Forbes, undercover cops sought to identify the individual behind the online moniker “elonmuskwhm,” who they suspect of selling bitcoin for cash, potentially running afoul of money laundering laws and rules around unlicensed money transmitting.

THCDenton
link
fedilink
English
108M

Good thing I have history turned off so I can watch “How to make an AK47 from scratch” in peace :D

@Shape4985@lemmy.ml
link
fedilink
English
28M

Another reason to use piped or invidious

@Gabu@lemmy.world
link
fedilink
English
498M

Why, would you look at that - apparently surveillance is fine and dandy, as long as it’s the US doing it. Fucking hypocrites.

Richard
link
fedilink
English
88M

The article LITERALLY says the opposite

What a sensationalist headline. Hope you’re proud of yourself.

@mlg@lemmy.world
link
fedilink
English
418M

Jokes on you I’m already on the DoD blacklist because I played War Thunder and got spammed with 40 year old “classified” NATOPs by the forums.

@MB420GFY@lemmy.world
link
fedilink
English
188M

lol WT has done more espionage than most countries

The fact that that KEEPS HAPPENING is so fucking funny

Create a post

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related content.
  3. Be excellent to each another!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots


  • 1 user online
  • 239 users / day
  • 544 users / week
  • 1.36K users / month
  • 4.27K users / 6 months
  • 1 subscriber
  • 7.68K Posts
  • 86.7K Comments
  • Modlog