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Google Fulfilled ICE Subpoena Demanding Student Journalist Credit Card Number

theintercept.com

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Re: Google Fulfilled ICE Subpoena Demanding Student Journalist Credit Card Number

#61

Post by bovermyer »

hsuduebc2 wrote: post #12
bovermyer wrote: post #6

[flagged]

I would say that it's just ordinary greed driven company. Which is basically normal corporation. Why net negative tho?

The "net" refers here to "the good that Google does" (e.g., some pretty impressive networking research) is outweighed by "the bad that Google does," such as the linked article.

Nothing is pure evil or pure good. Gauging where on the scale a person or group lies is really hard, and subjective.

So, I try and keep score on the big players, but understand that my judgement is fallible.

Re: Google Fulfilled ICE Subpoena Demanding Student Journalist Credit Card Number

#62

Post by dathinab »

Filligree wrote: post #5

Were they legally required to?

the only way to legally search a house, car or force companies to hand anything over is with a judge signing it off

the article isn't clear about it but it implies that this was not approved by a judge but DHS alone, this is also indicated but the fact that the supona contained a gag order but Google still informed the affected person that _some_ information was hanged over

now some level of cooperation with law enforcement even without a judge is normal to reduce friction and if you love in a proper state of law there is no problem Keith it.

Also companies are to some degree required to cooperate.

What makes this case so problematic is the amount of information shared without a judge order, that ICE tried to gag Google, that Google did delay compliance to give the affected person a chance to take legal action even through they could, and last but but least that this information seems to have been requested for retaliation against protestor which is a big no go for a state of law

Re: Google Fulfilled ICE Subpoena Demanding Student Journalist Credit Card Number

#63

Post by pear01 »

Anonbrit wrote: post #20
x1ph0z wrote: post #17

What are some ways users can insulate themselves from something like this?

Don't use products from large US tech companies? Apple has a slightly better track record than Google of fighting this stuff, but ultimately if you're using a product from a US tech company then it's likely ICE can get their grubby little mitts on everything that company knows about you

Are they going to stop because a company fights a subpoena? Or perhaps in the case of some touted alternatives, even if a subpoena were acted upon, no data would be intelligible?

Maybe they'll just show up to your house next time. I'm not sure why people complain about US companies complying with US government subpoenas. Isn't that how it is supposed to work? Imagine if the opposite were routine, would you like that?

People want to stop using Gmail to feel agency in a situation where the real problem is their own government. The real answer thus lies in deeply reforming a federal government that really both sides of the aisle (in their own way) agree has gotten too powerful and out of control.

Re: Google Fulfilled ICE Subpoena Demanding Student Journalist Credit Card Number

#64

Post by linkregister »

legitster wrote: post #45
Filligree wrote: post #5

Were they legally required to?

For a normal subpoena from a court, yes. For an "administrative" subpoena from an agency, they take a risk in court. Judicial review is deferred . If Google thinks the subpoena is egregious, they can go to court and argue. But in the meantime they can either carry it out or risk being held in contempt if they don't and lose in court.

According to this article, it is treated as a request and often denied by the company. The target of the warrant did go to court to quash it, but that was already after Google declined to share the information.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/02/03/hom...

edit: it appears that either 1. the Washington Post is printing misinformation, or 2. I have made a grave misinterpretation.

Re: Google Fulfilled ICE Subpoena Demanding Student Journalist Credit Card Number

#65

Post by legitster »

linkregister wrote: post #59
crooked-v wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Administrative subpoenas" have always been bullshit that mostly rely on there being no penalty for companies that hand over user information to anyone with a badge and then justify it with a five-hundred-page TOS document.

Google, among most other tech companies, deny portions of administrative warrants. Here's a story about someone who was stressed out about their notification by Google (spoiler, Google decided to deny the government's request) https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/02/03/hom... edit: It appears that this outcome is an outlier and most admin warrants are honored. It is unfortunate to see the Washington Pos…

Hence, why I wonder if this is specific their credit/banking products as part of Know Your Customer rules.

Re: Google Fulfilled ICE Subpoena Demanding Student Journalist Credit Card Number

#67

Post by linkregister »

ceejayoz wrote: post #43
jmyeet wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

According to the ACLU, they are not [1]. So Google voluntarily handed over user information. It requires a court order to enforce it and that requires a judge to sign off on it. This is somewhat analogous to ICE's use of administrative warrants, which really have no legal standing. They certainly don't allow ICE to enter a private abode. You need a judicial warrant for that. That too requires a judge to sign off on i…

> They certainly don't allow ICE to enter a private abode. I'd just note that ICE is (falsely) claiming otherwise these days. https://apnews.com/article/ice-arrests-warrants-minneapolis-... "Federal immigration officers are asserting sweeping power to forcibly enter people’s homes without a judge’s warrant, according to an internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo obtained by The Associated Press, marking a s…

Indeed, law enforcement officers frequently lie about laws in order to accomplish their goals. This erodes public trust in law enforcement. As a society we should structure incentives such that agents of the government should be exposed to the externalities resulting from their actions.

Re: Google Fulfilled ICE Subpoena Demanding Student Journalist Credit Card Number

#69

Post by riku_iki »

zzzeek wrote: post #27
diego_moita wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

giant private companies like Google are not ever going to be involved with defying court orders, especially ones that do lots of business with the federal government (which will be just about any company even half of google's size). You can say it's wrong or whatever but it's like asking a brick wall to do an Irish jig. The only solution to this problem is for the US to have a vastly more active anti-monopoly regime…

it depends if potential reputation damage is high.

Apple was fighting for user's privacy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple%E2%80%93FBI_encryption_d...

Re: Google Fulfilled ICE Subpoena Demanding Student Journalist Credit Card Number

#70

Post by moogly »

AlexandrB wrote: post #44
hsuduebc2 wrote: post #8

Just out of curiosity. Are there any companies today that are seen the way Google used to be seen, as a generally “good” corporation/companies that are also a important player? Maybe Mozilla Foundation?

Maybe Valve?

Degenerate gambling company.
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