back to article Google under fire again for handing user info to police

Google is under fire again today for cooperating with Indian police trying to track down an Orkut user who had been rude about a politician. Police asked Google for user information for the person behind a post called "I hate Sonia Gandhi" - Gandhi being a Congress party politician. Google provided an IP number and email …

COMMENTS

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  1. Mike Crawshaw
    Thumb Down

    6 days in prison??

    Arrested on Friday (16th) and remanded until 21st - for saying he hates a politician.

    Sheeeeeit.

    Hope the uk.gov don't hear about this one and get ideas. Cos I REALLY hate Gordon Brown....

    (Not AC so Google don't have to get involved....!)

  2. Vernon Lloyd
    Paris Hilton

    tut tut tut

    Contradiction here El Reg

    Post Title: Google under fire again for handing user info to police’

    In Post: Like all law-abiding companies, we comply with local laws and valid legal process, such as court orders and subpoenas. In compliance with valid Indian legal process, we provided Indian law enforcement authorities with the IP address information they requested in this case

    Google were asked for the details under Indian Law. I would rather Google get in trouble for COMPLYING with the law rather than BREAKING it.

    /PH 'cause she knows the difference

  3. b

    Don't be evil

    Unless it's politically expedient...

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    Do No Evil...Unless you ask us to!

    Google's respect for privacy is only disrespect. People should not have any expectations of privacy when using their services, as they sure as hell wont protect you if someone comes asking questions.

  5. Avian
    Thumb Down

    Someone remind me,

    What was it now "Do no....... ?"

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    blah blah

    you follow the laws of the country you're in.

    Live with it.

  7. Steven Raith

    "People should not have any expectations of privacy when using their services...."

    "...as they sure as hell wont protect you if someone comes asking questions."

    ...within the constraints of local law?

    It's not Googles job to step in and say "we don't believe that we can ethically give you this information" - otherwise they'd be the ones up in court for blocking the judicial process.

    You idiot.

    *belms*

    Steven R

  8. Avian
    Paris Hilton

    @ Vernon Lloyd

    So any law from any dictatorship or covering the a*se of corrupt politicians is OK?

    Paris because ........ seems befitting that idea

  9. Aditya Krishnan

    Untrue

    There was no warrant issued by a judge. Google had no compulsion to release this information. They're simply lying again.

  10. b

    you follow the laws of the country you're in.

    and if said laws are evil then you need to change your strapline.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    @ Steven

    Clearly you have NFI, but that's okay that you made it clear to everyone you missed the point!

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @b

    Or stop doing business in that country. It's not like Google need the money is it?

    Google: Do no evil unless someone pays us to

  13. Alfazed
    Unhappy

    Oh no, now I wish I hadn't ...

    Slagged off Gordon Brown last week, being a comment on something really fucking stupid that the mad bastard had decided to do, against all the (best) most expensive advice available.

    You know, the Prime Minister of UK (Unkempt Kingwotalotoshit), what a twat,

    Hang on I hear a knock at the d...

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    I live in India

    The country where that nice Sonia also lives, along with her wonderful family who have done so much for this country and will continue to do so into the foreseeable future.

    Now I'm keeping quiet.

    Possibly for a long time.

  15. Steven Raith

    @AC - NFI?

    AC, if I have no fucking idea, then please, enlighten me?

    What are Google supposed to have done? Stalled for time? And be realistic, pulling out of India isn't exactly an option given the burgeoning online community and tech centres there.

    Come on, lets hear your words of wisdom. I'm intrigued.

    Steven R

  16. BatCat
    Stop

    Erm.... Read behind the headline!

    FFS! the bloke wasn't arrested for saying he hated her, or expressing his political views.

    From the ExpressIndia page:

    "he police said that hating Sonia Gandhi is a personal opinion of the person who formed the community and having a personal opinion about someone is not an offence as per the law."

    He was arrested for posting:

    "content in vulgar language about Sonia Gandhi"

    I think that you'll find that even in the UK, if you make libelous / slanderous comments about people you could end up facing prosecution.

    Moral of this story; If you want to make your political opinions known, keep it clean - specially in India.

  17. Henry Cobb
    Unhappy

    Spot the boundries of the rule of law in Eurasia

    The line between the rule of law and not in Eurasia is basically at the borders of the EU.

    East or south of there freedom requires political and/or economic connections.

    What distinguishes India from most of its neighbors is a strong press, which constantly agitates about misapplications of actual laws to more-or-less defend freedom.

    For example I've said much worse and the Indian police can't touch me for expressing my views because I'm an American and the press would be all over them.

  18. Chris C

    re: Someone remind me

    "What was it now 'Do no....... ?'"

    I believe it was "Do no[t do anything to diminish The Bottom Line]"

    On a side note, we all know the real reasons the US invaded Iraq and overthrew its democratic* government, but the publicized reasons were to get rid of the WMDs** and to "democratize" the country. Not only that, but the president has said he wants to "democratize" and bring freedom to the world. And yet, two of the countries we do most of our business with, China and India, are quite freedomless. We simply overlook the fact that China is communist and has a list of human rights violations longer than Bush's list of failures and misstatements. And now we find that India is so freedomless that you can't even state a negative *opinion* about a politician without being thrown in jail? All the while, we say it's Cuba we need to protect our citizens from***.

    * For the sake of this post, let's not argue about whether it was a real or fake/coerced democracy, as it's not relevant to my point

    ** Let's not even discuss this one

    *** Unless you're talking about Cuba's baseball players, in which case we're happy to deal with them

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Hmm

    If I were to put up a web site called I.hate.GWBUSH.com The secert sevice would have me on a watch list. Talk to people that know me. Possible detain me and question me., and yes this has happened before. SS showing up at high schools to questions teens with out their parents present

  20. D
    Paris Hilton

    it's an IP Address, not an IP number

    it's four numbers (eight if you include the subnet) so it would be IP Numbers. But nobody says IP numbers because it's an IP Address and always has been.

    Paris because I've seen a video of her sucking someone's dick.

  21. Joe M

    @you follow the laws of the country you're in.

    Not since the Nuremberg Trials my friend!

    If the laws of your country are evil and contravene internationally accepted civilized behavior, obeying them exposes you to a charge of crimes against peace or crimes against humanity and maybe a couple of others depending on how vigorously you followed The Orders.

    (Why is there always one of these in every crowd - "Achtung... you vill obey ze law!!! And notice how the little martinets always have punchy little slogans like: "Live with it", "Period!", "It's the Law" etc.)

  22. tempemeaty
    Pirate

    Using their service could be a unhealthy practice in the third world

    They are so easy with giving up the personal info to any Government I hope they don't get some poor person in some repressive regime killed.

  23. peter
    Happy

    So was it legal

    There seems to be some confusion.

    There was no court order or legal action, was there?, "we provided Indian law enforcement authorities with the IP address information they requested in this case" they requested information, just like they do in any country.

    If the company is like Google they will act on the mere possibility and take the easiest route , or help China in filtering search results. Because Google is not a charity, it's a n advertiser out to make money

    Why should they deal with the hassle and possible legal problems, it's not their job.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Don't be evil

    "Don't be evil" isn't Google's motto - it's a warning.

    Now everyone join in with the Google corporate anthem:

    Every breath you take

    And every move you make

    Every bond you break, every step you take

    I'll be watching you

    Every single day

    And every word you say

    Every game you play, every night you stay

    I'll be watching you

    Copyright 1983 The Police (Secret Divison)

  25. shay mclachlan

    a@ Oh no, now I wish I hadn't ...

    Not a problem. You are not going to get banged up because the nicks in the UK are full and building new ones costs big money that they dont have. At worst you'll get a community service order to weed and plant the council flowerbeds for a few weeks. Think of the fun you can then have planting the bulbs so they spell F..k Gordon Brown when they bloom............

  26. andy
    Stop

    Hold up!

    If Google were serious about doing no evil couldnt they promise not to keep logs of IP addresses for longer than necessary? Or is that angle covered in data retention laws?

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    Same s**t different toilet

    Google hands over IP address to the Indian cops because someone insulted the Great Leader.

    And the City of London police issue summouns to an anti-scientology demonstrator.

    Now, imagine "The Church of Scientology" taking over Google.

    Posting anon - for obvious reasons.

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