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.
they were tracking down a SWATter, so i’m fine with it
So the ends justifies the means?
this particular case called for it, that’s all… there’s a reasonable warrant, and the details are now open to public scrutiny… it’s obviously been handled responsibly… creating a big uproar over it doesn’t help…
The concern is who gets to draw the line. Will it be drawn when the Texas AG seeks viewers of a YouTube video about abortion? Once the gates are open, who can really say.