Google handed over years of e-mails belonging to WikiLeaks chatroom admin
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Re: Google handed over years of e-mails belonging to WikiLeaks chatroom admin
#2I've never owned a gmail account but have sent to plenty. Gmail is like the 21st century party landline but only a relative few people can listen in.
> Because I talked to Julian Assange, all information held by Google relating to my user account with them can be handed over to US prosecutors—not just the contents of my conversations with Julian.
There it is: If you have online contact with someone that's of interest, there's a chance all of your info will be of interest also.
Re: Google handed over years of e-mails belonging to WikiLeaks chatroom admin
#3What could Google have done better?
(Specifically in regards to this case. And assuming they pushed back on orders like this, like they claim to do.)
Re: Google handed over years of e-mails belonging to WikiLeaks chatroom admin
#4I've never owned a gmail account but have sent to plenty. Gmail is like the 21st century party landline but only a relative few people can listen in. > Because I talked to Julian Assange, all information held by Google relating to my user account with them can be handed over to US prosecutors—not just the contents of my conversations with Julian. There it is: If you have online contact with someone that's of interest…
Have you considered the possibility that we hear about surveillance of GMail accounts only because so many people happen to use GMail? Is there any particular property of Google that makes it more likely to cooperate with government than any other email provider?
Or, if you're in the "host your own email" crowd, what makes you think your ISP won't cooperate with the government just like Google does?
Re: Google handed over years of e-mails belonging to WikiLeaks chatroom admin
#5The title makes it seem like they did it for fun, rather than as the result of a court order.
Re: Google handed over years of e-mails belonging to WikiLeaks chatroom admin
#6I've never owned a gmail account but have sent to plenty. Gmail is like the 21st century party landline but only a relative few people can listen in. > Because I talked to Julian Assange, all information held by Google relating to my user account with them can be handed over to US prosecutors—not just the contents of my conversations with Julian. There it is: If you have online contact with someone that's of interest…
Have you considered the possibility that we hear about surveillance of GMail accounts only because so many people happen to use GMail? Is there any particular property of Google that makes it more likely to cooperate with government than any other email provider? Or, if you're in the "host your own email" crowd, what makes you think your ISP won't cooperate with the government just like Google does?
[deleted]
Re: Google handed over years of e-mails belonging to WikiLeaks chatroom admin
#7What could Google have done better? (Specifically in regards to this case. And assuming they pushed back on orders like this, like they claim to do.)
don't forget to mention that Google is also the entity reporting that the information was handed over.
Re: Google handed over years of e-mails belonging to WikiLeaks chatroom admin
#8Can someone clarify if Google had to reveal they had done this? The article implies that they did not, and thus the reveal was a "not evil" gesture of transparency. But I'm wondering if they may have known it would get out anyway and they are just getting in front of it. Anyone have more information?
Re: Google handed over years of e-mails belonging to WikiLeaks chatroom admin
#9What could Google have done better? (Specifically in regards to this case. And assuming they pushed back on orders like this, like they claim to do.)
Push back more on the request?
The 4th amendment includes this part:
"particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized"
Describing what you want as " all e-mails " is exactly the type of description this part of the amendment is meant to prevent. It's way too broad.
Re: Google handed over years of e-mails belonging to WikiLeaks chatroom admin
#10What could Google have done better? (Specifically in regards to this case. And assuming they pushed back on orders like this, like they claim to do.)
Well, it is an inherent flaw of "cloud" based services.
If they are surprised by this then they obviously shouldn't have been using google in the first place.