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Google Gives Up IP of Anonymous Blogger

An anonymous reader alerts us to a story out of Israel in which Google (its Israeli subsidiary) gave up the IP address of a Blogger user without being compelled to do so by a court. A preliminary ruling was issued in which a court indicated that the slander the blogger was accused of probably rose to the level of a criminal violation. Google Israel then made a deal with the plaintiffs, local city councilmen whom the blogger had been attacking for a year. Google disclosed the IP address only to the court, which posted a message (Google says the anonymous blogger got it) inviting him/her to contest the ruling anonymously. When no response was received within 3 days, Google turned over the IP address to the plaintiffs' lawyers.

386 comments

  1. So Post Anonymously from someone elses AP.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Directional Antenna and a 500mw bi-directional amplifier.

  2. double entendre by User+956 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Google Gives Up IP of Anonymous Blogger

    Sounds like that guy could use a good IP attorney.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    1. Re:double entendre by Klaus_1250 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Sounds like he was not anonymous in the first place. But doesn't this violate Google Privacy policy, giving up address/personal information without a court order? And what about not being evil? Giving up anyones address/identity if some authority asks for it, without going through appropriate legal channels, doesn't sound good to me.

      --
      It only takes one man to change the Wisdom of the Crowd to Tyranny of the Masses.
    2. Re:double entendre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think that this is just a case of responsibility, for the individual to be held accountable for what they say.

        Then you clearly don't know what anonymous means.

    3. Re:double entendre by beyondkaoru · · Score: 5, Interesting

      dunno. i am of the opinion that it should be pretty much impossible for an anonymous person to slander on the internet -- at least, it would sort of make sense that if you are being told something by someone you don't know you shouldn't consider it fact very easily.

      i believe that slander, libel, defamation, etc are... perhaps outdated concepts. it is probably better for people to check their sources rather than pretend that it is safe to assume what you hear is true. i personally believe that the freedom to lie should not be restricted, even though lying is certainly a bad thing. this is partially because of how awkward cases for slander and libel and defamation can be.

      many people, such as yourself, might define 'freedom of speech' differently from how i define it for myself -- and the law certainly has a different view of it than i do. but that's my opinion, and i think that absolute freedom of communication would work. (specifically, i mean allowing consenting parties to communicate whatever they want, not absolute freedom of speech which might be considered to include yelling into an unsuspecting person's ear)

      or, to put it another way, if a mere pseudonym is slandering me, i might just ask, "why trust this person?". if people can learn how easy it is to be lied to, then they might learn to check their references, and slandering will become much more difficult. (of course, i do have significant doubts that people will learn to do this... but if people are sheltered from simple communication, then they might never learn.)

      --
      the privacy of one's mind is important.
      you do have something to hide.
    4. Re:double entendre by Thrip · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Freedom of speech is not the same thing as freedom of anonymous speech. I keep hearing this argument from the kind of people who you know would love to curtail speech in general. In a country where a large majority vigorously defends free speech, perhaps anonymity would not be necessary. But in a country like the one I live in, where the citizens are told that they have free speech, but where you can be jailed for years for speaking certain truths to your lawyer, spouse, or doctor, and where thugs can come to your home or workplace and intimidate you if you publicly question your rulers, anonymous speech is necessary. When the government tries to ban certain types of speech, having a way to speak anonymously nullifies the ban. Sometimes it is necessary for a thing to be said anonymously at first, so that it can be discussed openly afterward.
      --
      I'm awake! The answer is BONK!
    5. Re:double entendre by FuzzyDaddy · · Score: 4, Funny
      i believe that slander, libel, defamation, etc are... perhaps outdated concepts.

      I would expect no less from a fascist wife beater like yourself.

      --
      It's not wasting time, I'm educating myself.
    6. Re:double entendre by sumdumass · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Would you consider this to be true even when the speech isn't true? I mean I can understand getting the truth or an opinion out there. But outright slandering someone isn't really the same thing.

      Something else I find disturbing is that a court did request the information. The fact that it was an informal hearing usually doesn't negate any actions or orders produced from it. You didn't bring it up, but the GP did so I wanted to kill two birds with one post.

    7. Re:double entendre by Thrip · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Would you consider this to be true even when the speech isn't true? Yes. One price of free speech is misinformation. This is true regardless of anonymity. Look at the Swift Vets, for instance. And my instinct is that anything said anonymously is automatically not slanderous, because it either contains evidence or it has no weight. That, of course, is my moral opinion, not a legal one.
      --
      I'm awake! The answer is BONK!
    8. Re:double entendre by Reaperducer · · Score: 4, Funny

      in a country like the one I live in, where the citizens are told that they have free speech, but where you can be jailed for years for speaking certain truths to your lawyer, spouse, or doctor, and where thugs can come to your home or workplace and intimidate you if you publicly question your rulers, anonymous speech is necessary.
      That's why so many people are moving out of California.
      --
      -- I'm old enough to have lived through six different meanings of the word "hacker."
    9. Re:double entendre by UbuntuDupe · · Score: 3, Insightful

      dunno. i am of the opinion that it should be pretty much impossible for an anonymous person to slander on the internet -- at least, it would sort of make sense that if you are being told something by someone you don't know you shouldn't consider it fact very easily.

      Very good point, but there are two reasons I think the concept of slander would still be valid:

      a) The cases where anonymous message reveals information that only a reliable source would have, such as a passcode.

      b) Even if people *shouldn't* accept self-serving unverifiable statements at face value, they do, and thus slander can wrongfully harm someone.

    10. Re:double entendre by moderatorrater · · Score: 4, Funny

      Judging from your user name, I'm prone to trust you. You sound like a parental figure to me.

    11. Re:double entendre by Jay+L · · Score: 4, Insightful

      it is probably better for people to check their sources rather than pretend that it is safe to assume what you hear is true. i personally believe that the freedom to lie should not be restricted, even though lying is certainly a bad thing. this is partially because of how awkward cases for slander and libel and defamation can be.

      So take the Internet out of the equation.

      It's cool for me to post unsigned flyers around your neighborhood, with your photo, full name, and address, claiming that "This man raped my daughter", because people should assume that it's not safe to trust anonymous flyers?

    12. Re:double entendre by Internalist · · Score: 5, Funny

      I would expect no less from a fascist wife beater like yourself. I dunno, if my wife was a fascist, I'd probably beat her.
      --
      Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing. -- Wernher von Braun
    13. Re:double entendre by 1u3hr · · Score: 3, Insightful
      What happens when the person being slandered is denied the ability to stop it using the courts because there isn't enough evidence to justify revealing the IP address but the slander continues. How would you feel if this was happening to you and google declined to hep without a court order? How long would this take and can the damage ever be repaired?

      Saying "the person being slandered" begs the question of whether slander has been committed.

      If a court determines slander has been committed, the court will order the owner of the IP to be revealed, and presumably punished. Any "damages" can then be pursued in a civil suit. You seem to be arguing that you should have the right to demand the identity of anyone who you claim to have slandered you without regard for any standards of proof.

    14. Re:double entendre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >I think that this is just a case of responsibility, for the individual to be held accountable for what they say.

      Fair enough. What about holding the individual accountable for what they do?

      For example: An individual infringes the copyright of another, and gets sued for it?

    15. Re:double entendre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You sir, are a complete and total idiot.

    16. Re:double entendre by Clay+Pigeon+-TPF-VS- · · Score: 1

      Since when did corporate policies apply to corporations. Last I checked they only seemed to be applied when they felt it was to their benefit and it screwed the consumer.

      --
      Viral software licensing is not freedom, it is in fact GNU/Socialism.
    17. Re:double entendre by vldmr_krn · · Score: 1

      i personally believe that the freedom to lie should not be restricted

      Then you haven't considered contracts.

    18. Re:double entendre by magixman · · Score: 3, Insightful

      In the U.S. the constitution protects the right to free speech and not the right to anonymity. Google did not turn over data such as emails or documents - they effectively just "fingered" an "anonymous coward". Your post made me realize that my knee-jerk reaction that everyone who posts anonymously is a coward is a luxury I can afford because I live in the U.S. and that "free speech", which we Americans cherish so deeply, is intrinsically connected with anonymity in many parts of the world.

    19. Re:double entendre by Averyge+Joe · · Score: 1

      Well put. For the record, it's the same in this country. I remember being ridiculed and my job threatened at the start of the Iraq fiasco because of a differing opinion (turns out I was right after all, maybe someone should have listened). The point is that the USA was founded on free speech and it was anonymous as well. We don't have secret ballots for nothing...

    20. Re:double entendre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      AHhhh thank the stars for the Wide open APs........

    21. Re:double entendre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Grammar Nazi!

    22. Re:double entendre by aussie_a · · Score: 1

      Guess what, the court did find the person probably did commit slander. But over there in the USoA (and I hope Israel) people also believe in the right to defend oneself in court. So unless you want the person to have a civil (or even worse criminal) case decided and judged without the person present, they need to be identified. This isn't a case of someone saying "The sky is blue" and Skye Williams going to court claiming the person slandered them. This is a case where in all probability, the person did commit slander. The only way to say for sure, would be for the person to offer their defence.

    23. Re:double entendre by scuba0 · · Score: 1

      Well in the US the current administration wants to ban some words and even with the patriot act they can already take you in custody if they dislike what you say. You don't got as much free-speech as you think in the US, everything gets recorded and saved in records that makes a profile of you and then determines the threat-level that you make. That is scary and just why I prefer to be as anonomous as possible when it comes to certain discussions.

    24. Re:double entendre by scuba0 · · Score: 1

      Whell you missed a point, the court could give a court-order if it considered it to be slander. Now it was probobly slander, in court the defendent could still defend its actions, but why the need if they don't even can deside if it is or not?

    25. Re:double entendre by rtb61 · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Well as long as you put it out as an opinion rather than a statement of fact, in most countries in would not be slander, how ever it would likely be considered as harassment. There is a real sense of physical threat in wondering around a persons neighbourhood when the olnly reason for doing so is a grudge against that person. There is only the time and effort it produce some blog rant versus printing photo copying and delivery, that level of commitment implies a real measure of potential threat.

      In the context of you post of course your comparison is wildly wrong. As people have to choose to look at and read the anonymous blog, more accurately your comparison aligns with spam also a bit of privacy invasion as you would have to have obtained all the email addresses of the people in that neighbourhood.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    26. Re:double entendre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is not the a lone case. Google, Airtel and the Indian police (Maharashtra state police) are involved in wrongful arrest of an orkut user. In this case though, the person accused had not even done anything remote to the accusations but was arrested as a result of a f**up between all the three mentioned above. http://blogs.cnet.com/surveillance-state/8301-13739_1-9811569-46.html?tag=head

    27. Re:double entendre by alich · · Score: 1

      Sure, that is a possibility - but is it common? I mean, do we really want to make up laws upon theoretical problems. I have never heard of anyone accused for such thing with flyer (or anything as harsh either)? Have you?

    28. Re:double entendre by jacquesm · · Score: 1

      anybody that takes internet 'slander' serious should grow a thicker skin. And anybody that believes everything that they see on the internet should get some skepticism grafts.

    29. Re:double entendre by elias1884 · · Score: 1

      Since the patriot act has been adopted NO US COMPANY CAN BE TRUSTED anymore.

      It is no longer a matter of their attitude! You got to understand that! Any federal agent can request information from any US company authorized by a warrant the have written themselves, be it on a piece of toilet paper! Unconstitutional? Who cares? The house does not? And if you do, they still don't! And all information gathered can be used for criminal charges, not just for anti terrorist ones!

      Not complying is a federal offense.
      Telling anybody is about it (even a judge) is a federal offense.

      Check these out:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8QwTKKSvR8
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXzUL9KkgvA
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35yhSifZ5jI
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRukPp9Tq5k
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvu12z832Xc

      The US is fucked! You are living in a police state already. Just have not realized it yet!

      Take to the streets and reestablish your constitutional rights!

    30. Re:double entendre by mha · · Score: 1

      You never heard of people spreading lies about other people in your workplace, relatives or in your neighborhood? Wow, you must have arrived on earth only recently! And how many people were sent to jail, even death row, because witnesses or even police lied or misrepresented evidence or simply prevented evidence in favor of the defendant to show up?

      This is NOT a theoretical issue!!! There even WERE cases where people had been accused of raping children where it (much) later turned out not to be true. Wasn't there a case of a prestigious ivy league university, where some football players were accused of rape, and much of the (US) media and also much of the staff of that university issued one statement after another against those guys - although from the start the case was shaky? When it all fell apart as a BIG lie there were still some who refused to apologize to those guys.

    31. Re:double entendre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Duke is not, nor ever will be, anything resembling the humblest of Ivies—it's an overgrown tobacco state school for mouthbreathing frat boys with pretensions of exceptionality. Thank you.

    32. Re:double entendre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      What about the notion that words and language have a use and a power beyond communication?

      If all that language did was communicate fact or opinion, then it would be easy to say "Don't trust anonymous sources," "Verify your data," etc.

      But language does more than communicate information -- every act of speech is also inherently creative. When I say "The Duke lacrosse team beat and raped me," I am doing more than communicating a fact (true or false). I am calling into existence an instance of "rape" in the minds of all those whom my language datum reaches. I am creating it there, bringing with it connotations and associations of powerlessness, abuse, degradation, patriarchy; I am calling up emotional responses of horror, righteous anger, shock, etc. Further, I am associating all of this with 'the Duke lacrosse team.'

      Even if we eventually learn that the informational content of the message is false, the human mind is still subject to its associative effect -- particularly if we are exposed to the message many times over. Witness the pairing of the words "9/11" and "Iraq" in the run-up to the current war. Witness the pairing of sexuality and product in every other ad.

      The associative effect of the creative power of language is inevitable -- it's this effect that allows us a learning process to take place in the human mind. It's an inherently human effect, one that makes the human mind qualitatively different from binary circuits. It cannot be avoided or brushed off to "stupid people." It affects "us," as in "all of us," not "them," as in "the others, the evil and/or dumb ones."

      I think a recognition of this, the metacommunicative power of language, places a heavy responsibility on all of us who would use it. However, I agree that the twin problems of lying and bullshitting (slander surely falls into one or the other) are not easily solved by legal measures -- nor do they properly belong in the realm of law. They seem, rather, to be two issues of personal ethics -- ones that we should take seriously, and foremost within ourselves.

    33. Re:double entendre by Dancindan84 · · Score: 1

      Freedom of speech is not the same thing as freedom of anonymous speech. A growing problem I've noticed is that people equate Freedom of Speech to Freedom from Repercussions and/or Right to an Audience. Yes, you can say whatever you want but:
      1. No, it doesn't mean anyone has to listen to you in the first place.
      2. Be prepared for the consequences when you say something stupid.
      --
      "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde
    34. Re:double entendre by Sigma+7 · · Score: 1

      Sure, that is a possibility - but is it common? A young student can falsly accuse her principal of molesting her. The end result is that he loses his job and becomes unhirable after his photo appears in the paper with no significant punishment to the student.

      This type of thing was on Dr. Phil a few times:
      http://drphil.com/shows/show/596/ - "You Ruined My Reputation!"
      http://drphil.com/shows/show/40 - Wrongly Accused
      http://drphil.com/shows/show/612/ - Falsely Accused

      If you want to see a movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0377092/

      Even if these situations don't involve flyers, they have the same effect. If you remove one medium (e.g. the Internet), another takes it's place (e.g. Gossip, Poison pen letters, flyers, newspapers, etc.)
    35. Re:double entendre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Informative

      True. The Swift Vets were telling the truth, but the media passed misinformation that stated that they were slanderous.

      I mean, you have a group of people that actually worked with the subject who claimed that the character of the person was bad, versus people who only knew the subject through a political alliance claiming that the character of the subject was good and the character of the group was bad.

      Both groups were free to speak their opinions.

    36. Re:double entendre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I only blog anonymously from a public wifi using a live CD with a pcmcia wifi card use only for that purpose.

    37. Re:double entendre by ibbie · · Score: 1

      Wow I wish I had mod points... Mod parent up, please!

      --
      The wise follow a damned path, for to know is to be forsaken.
    38. Re:double entendre by OhHellWithIt · · Score: 1

      Giving up anyones address/identity if some authority asks for it, without going through appropriate legal channels, doesn't sound good to me.

      Maybe you misread TFA. Google and the plaintiffs agreed in court to give the blogger the opportunity to present his side of the case anonymously. He didn't respond, and so they gave him up for the plaintiff to defend his reputation.

      Slander is saying harmful, untrue stuff about someone. It may do harm, and when it does, it's just like vandalism, only harder to clean up. If an AC eggs my house, it's a crime. Why not if he eggs my reputation?

      It seems to me that "Don't allow others to use the tools you provide to do evil" fits will with "Do no evil".

      --
      "Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past." -- George Orwell
    39. Re:double entendre by kalirion · · Score: 1

      This is Google Israel. They have completely different definitions of 'good' and 'evil' over there. And don't get me started on Google Iraq....

    40. Re:double entendre by penguin_dance · · Score: 1, Insightful

      That's a normal, knee-jerk reaction. But what if the blogger was accusing a public figure of being a pedophile or an embezzler? In this case, the blogger accused them of criminal acts. What if this is just a tactic used by the opposition party being that this is an electoral race? It's not a case of a disgruntled employee or customer talking about a company. It asks a bigger question: At what point does the line get crossed between free speech and smearing someone's reputation--perhaps affecting an election--from behind a cloak of anonymity?

      --
      If you've never been modded as "flamebait" or "troll," you've never tried to argue a minority viewpoint here!
    41. Re:double entendre by Flambergius · · Score: 1

      I don't quite agree. (Btw, Swift Vets is an terrific example.)

      This is an issue of both communication and governance. If just look at communication aspect we want to exclude misinformation. (Although it is not totally certain that lying is actually misinformation in communication theory sense.) Looking at governance aspect we find that we don't want to exclude any legitimate speech.

      There is dynamism here, and I don't think the optimal solution for the society or a random individual member is maximum freedom. I know there is great danger lurking in restricting free speech, but I don't think many people fully appreciate the cost we pay every day for the poor quality of speech in your western societies.

      --
      Computers are useless. They can only give you answers - Pablo Picasso
    42. Re:double entendre by Flambergius · · Score: 1

      the poor quality of speech in your western societies.

      Meant to write our, of course.

      --
      Computers are useless. They can only give you answers - Pablo Picasso
    43. Re:double entendre by brandonY · · Score: 1

      Slander is saying harmful, untrue stuff about someone. It may do harm, and when it does, it's just like vandalism, only harder to clean up. If an AC eggs my house, it's a crime. Why not if he eggs my reputation?

      Yeah! And why not if he eggs my feelings? That's hard to clean up, too!

    44. Re:double entendre by E++99 · · Score: 1

      And my instinct is that anything said anonymously is automatically not slanderous, because it either contains evidence or it has no weight. That, of course, is my moral opinion, not a legal one.

      That doesn't hold water. Anonymous assertions without evidence always have and always will be given weight by the public, regardless of whether the public is smart or stupid for giving them weight. That means you can harm someone... you can destroy someone by making false anonymous statements about them in public. It is not a moral system that doesn't give the victim legal recourse against that kind of attack.
    45. Re:double entendre by thegnu · · Score: 1

      Leave hi'n Grammar outta this. She ain't hurt nobody.

      --
      Please stop stalking me, bro.
    46. Re:double entendre by E++99 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      anybody that takes internet 'slander' serious should grow a thicker skin.

      You can't sue for slander because someone says something that hurts your feelings. You sue for slander when someone spreads false information about you that causes you actual harm. If someone destroys my livelihood by spreading false information about me, thick skin isn't going to put food on the table.
    47. Re:double entendre by OhHellWithIt · · Score: 1

      Slander is saying harmful, untrue stuff about someone. It may do harm, and when it does, it's just like vandalism, only harder to clean up. If an AC eggs my house, it's a crime. Why not if he eggs my reputation?
      Yeah! And why not if he eggs my feelings? That's hard to clean up, too!

      I'm not sure of the point of your jest. Your reputation is presumably an asset that you can use to earn a living. For example, a potential employer could turn you down for a job because he believes some lie told about you. Or, you may have such an excellent reputation that people pay extra for something because you are associated with it, only some jerk has spread lies about you and now the stuff is discounted.

      Your feelings, on the other hand, are pretty much worthless to everyone except you. No one will pay more money for something because you feel good, or less because you feel bad, unless you manage to collect damages for pain and suffering. Or maybe you're some kind of artist who can't perform anymore because someone hurt your feelings -- then you've got some damages to work with.

      I guess the bottom line is that I believe Cowboy Neil or Google should protect your anonymity if you post some lie as an AC and hurt my feelings, but not if you damage my reputation (or ruin my karma). And if the bad thing is true, then it's not slander, and the question is moot.

      --
      "Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past." -- George Orwell
    48. Re:double entendre by E++99 · · Score: 1

      I think that this is just a case of responsibility, for the individual to be held accountable for what they say.

          Then you clearly don't know what anonymous means.

      In a civilized society everyone, is held accountable for his actions. Guaranteed and complete anonymity means that one cannot held accountable for his actions. Therefore, such anonymity has no place in a civilized society.
    49. Re:double entendre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In a civilized society everyone, is held accountable for his actions.
      By whom? You?
    50. Re:double entendre by clambake · · Score: 1


      i believe that slander, libel, defamation, etc are... perhaps outdated concepts.

      I would expect no less from a fascist wife beater like yourself.


      Hey now, you can't blame him for that! She just went WAY too far when she forbade him to have any more sex with both the neighbor's kids AND the neighbor's dog.

    51. Re:double entendre by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you must be a lawyer since only an idiot JD would compare apples to oranges and think he has a point. Posting stuff online takes no effort, posting flyers in real life takes effort and thus renders such things more authoritative. There is a term in economics for this but I dont remember it.

      Nobody should (and most intelligent people dont) believe anything written by anonymous people online.

    52. Re:double entendre by Web+Goddess · · Score: 1

      When every person, be it great or small, is or has been accused of ridiculously abhorrent atrocities, then we will longer be enslaved by the "utterly un-besmirch-able" paran so important in current (US) elections.

    53. Re:double entendre by 1u3hr · · Score: 1
      Guess what, the court did find the person probably did commit slander.

      No, they didn't. Courts don't say someone is "probably guilty".

      So unless you want the person to have a civil (or even worse criminal) case decided and judged without the person present, they need to be identified.

      No, RTFA. The court gave the blogger the option of hiring a lawyer to defend him, while he remained anonymous.

      This is a case where in all probability, the person did commit slander.

      Based on your careful reading of the evidence, no doubt. Your Hebrew must be better than mine.

    54. Re:double entendre by aussie_a · · Score: 1

      No, they didn't. Courts don't say someone is "probably guilty". Guess you didn't read the FTS let alone the FTA.

      No, RTFA. The court gave the blogger the option of hiring a lawyer to defend him, while he remained anonymous. Which he possibly didn't read (we only have Google's word that he did which AFAIK isn't enough to give up someone's right to represent themselves at trial). Given that he didn't do this, THEN is the court suppose to decide the case without him? Are they suppose to keep him anonymous when he doesn't pay whatever amount the court finds him responsible for?
    55. Re:double entendre by 1u3hr · · Score: 1
      No, they didn't. Courts don't say someone is "probably guilty".
      Guess you didn't read the FTS let alone the FTA.

      WTF is "FTS" and "FTA"? Get your TLAs clear.

      If you trust the Slashdot summary, "you must be new here", as we old hands say.

      And TFA says:

      However, in a pre-ruling, Judge Oren Schwartz said that the blog's content raised suspicions of criminal conduct,
      "suspicion" /= "probably"

      Which he possibly didn't read

      True, but that's a different issue.
      You said he could not have defended himself and remained anonymous. He wasn't given much of a chance, but he DID have that option.

  3. What happened to by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Do no evil"? Good thing I was using a anon proxy server...

  4. Premature, But Ultimately Correct by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    The court order should have come first, but Google ultimately did the right thing. Questions of alleged criminal activity were in play. I'd certainly want the chance to dispute such allegations were they made against me.

    1. Re:Premature, But Ultimately Correct by webmaster404 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yes but only 3 days? There are some times that I dont get on the computer for 3 days although it is rarely, and other days that I just quickly check the news, /. or my e-mail. It should be at least 2 weeks to allow for vacation and other time when people would be away from the computer.

      --
      There is no "disagree" moderation, and troll, flamebait and overrated are not valid substitutes
    2. Re:Premature, But Ultimately Correct by lordsid · · Score: 1

      If Google would change their mind about releasing the information of the person being investigated if that same person objected, what is the point in asking then?

      Answer: So Google could cover its ass in the limelight of the public.

      Why would someone post anonymously if they wanted to be identified?

      Answer: They wouldn't.

      Why would you ask a man in a mask who he is?

      --
      IMAGE VERIFICATION IS EVIL!
    3. Re:Premature, But Ultimately Correct by 1u3hr · · Score: 1
      Google ultimately did the right thing. Questions of alleged criminal activity were in play

      Courts should decide if criminal allegations are true. Google has an obligation to their client, the blogger (regardless of whether it was a paid or free account, Google was selling ads on his pages). To violate his privacy should have required a court order.

      Speaking from my personal moral viewpoint.

    4. Re:Premature, But Ultimately Correct by Averyge+Joe · · Score: 1

      Correction: The court order "has" to come first. This is not an insignificant "detail". The law swings both ways and one person's possible disregard for the law does not warrant another's. Word has it that Google is pushing to be the "ultimate backup" location for everyones data. From what I see, not mine...

    5. Re:Premature, But Ultimately Correct by sportiva79 · · Score: 2, Informative

      I don't understand, from the article's last couple of paragraphs it appears the court did eventually give an order to Google.

      In line with Judge Schwartz's ruling, Google and the councilmen reached a settlement in their dispute. Following the 72 hour period, Google was ordered to hand over the IP address to the court. Google was represented by Adv. Keren Beer and Adv. Hagit Blaiberg of Goldfarb, Levy, Eran, Meiri & Co. and the councilmen were represented by Adv. Ben Zion Adoram and Tomer Altus of Adoram & Co.

    6. Re:Premature, But Ultimately Correct by geminidomino · · Score: 1

      Why would you ask a man in a mask who he is? Maybe he just thinks that they're terribly comfortable, and that everyone will be wearing them in the future.
  5. Interesting... by Lord+Aurora · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...in contrast to Google's vow to protect its users' privacy early last year. Although this is a very different situation...criminal libel instead of general aggregate use data. Perhaps Google cares about its users as a whole but not as individuals.

    --
    The heavens do not fall for such a trifle.
    1. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      First the Israeli court came for the Israeli criminal blogger. But I was not an Israeli criminal blogger so I did nothing.

      Next the Israeli court ... did some kind of Israeli law thing ... and then the story kind of went nowhere ... so again, I did nothing.

      I really need something to do. But I lack motivation. I suppose I could blog ... nah.

    2. Re:Interesting... by westlake · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Perhaps Google cares about its users as a whole but not as individuals.

      tell me why Google should ignore criminal abuse of its networks and services.

      tell me why someone shouldn't have the right to ask Google for help in the prosecution of a crime.

      tell me when "the right to privacy" became a right to injure others anonymously - safe from any consequences.

    3. Re:Interesting... by jdgeorge · · Score: 1

      tell me when "the right to privacy" became a right to injure others anonymously - safe from any consequences.

      When it was discussed on Slashdot, of course. Silly.

    4. Re:Interesting... by fireboy1919 · · Score: 1

      To use a Pratchettism, Google promises not to provide anyone with user's private data based upon the general understanding that no one will actually ask them.

      It is a promise in software circles, and everyone who's really in the know regarding search understands this.

      Obviously things have to be different if someone actually asks them. How can google be expected to keep data private if they're asked for it? Aren't they in the business of providing people with information?

      --
      Mod me down and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine!
    5. Re:Interesting... by iminplaya · · Score: 1

      ...criminal libel...

      An utterly fascinating concept. I wonder if we'll ever see the day when people can see the difference between what a person SAYS and what a person DOES. Looks more hopeless every day. Kill the messenger!

      --
      What?
    6. Re:Interesting... by db32 · · Score: 1

      Seems to me that is the "right to privacy". The ability to question the government without reprisal like this and all that...

      --
      The only change I can believe in is what I find in my couch cushions.
    7. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Google was not compelled by a court order to reveal the IP address. It is the judiciary's role to decide whether the plaintiffs are entitled to that information. In countries with noteworthy privacy laws, a company is forbidden to hand out this kind of information without a court order. If Google decides to hand over the IP address information without a court order, then the individual does not have the full protection of the law but is at the whim of a company, despite that company's marketing efforts that they value their users' privacy.

    8. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
      > First the Israeli court came for the Israeli criminal blogger. But I was not an Israeli criminal blogger so I did nothing.
      > Next the Israeli court ... did some kind of Israeli law thing ... and then the story kind of went nowhere ... so again, I did nothing.
      > I really need something to do. But I lack motivation. I suppose I could blog ... nah.

      And when (in Soviet Russia!), the Jews came for YOU, Google had already given them your IP address!

    9. Re:Interesting... by GodInHell · · Score: 1

      When you do it from an internet cafe?

      -GiH

    10. Re:Interesting... by PietjeJantje · · Score: 1

      >tell me why Google should ignore criminal abuse of its networks and services

      According to which final ruling? Innocent unless proven guilty.
      I haven't heart the defense yet. Tell me why Google should be on the prosecutors side. This is Google taking a stand, instead of Google letting the judge make a stand first with a final ruling. He's probably guilty - which is what leads to emotional decisions like this, but I don't think you fully appreciate the glide path here. Are the commercial employees of Google from now on deciding which cases they will decide guilty or no guilty themselves, and which they'll leave to a final ruling by a judge?

    11. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1

      I, too, am not a firm believer in on-line anonymity: I think on balance it does more harm than good today, as cases like this illustrate. While I do understand that some people have a principled objection to compromising it, I take a pragmatic view on this one.

      However, that doesn't mean just anyone should have access to just anything. We have judicial systems precisely to ensure that where any individual rights must be overridden in the interests of justice, it is done in a controlled way and with due process. It isn't criminal abuse of any aspect of Google until a court finds that it is, and while anyone can of course ask Google for help, they should have to obtain the proper agreement of a court before Google actually hand anything over to them.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    12. Re:Interesting... by empaler · · Score: 1

      One of the rare instances of a good Soviet joke, and the mods miss it. Hah!
      (You could say *I* missed it too, as I don't have mod points today)

    13. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tell it to a judge and get a court order for the IP address. Otherwise, giving up private data on a whim is, indeed, evil.

    14. Re:Interesting... by e-scetic · · Score: 2, Funny

      tell me when "the right to privacy" became a right to injure others anonymously - safe from any consequences.

      This post offends my sensibilities. Can we have your real name, please.

      Thank you.

    15. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It isn't Google's place to decide what is or is not criminal. Google gave up that data without a specific court order requiring them to do so. No company should ever, ever do that - especially one that says that it is trying to live by "don't be evil". It is evil. It isn't any different from AT&T giving up customer data to the government in that wire-tapping scandal.

    16. Re:Interesting... by HiThere · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's a sticky problem.

      This sounds, from a distance, like a case where Google made the correct decision, but...

      Who gets to define "criminal"? How is this different from turning over the id of a Chinese journalist?

      When powerful people get to define what is a crime, then I'm not easy about "criminal" being used as a justifier for the breaking of confidentiality.

      --

      I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
    17. Re:Interesting... by GreyPoopon · · Score: 1

      The ability to question the government without reprisal like this and all that...

      Questioning the government and making false accusations against specific members of the government are two very different things.
      --

      GreyPoopon
      --
      Why is it I can write insightful comments but can't come up with a clever signature?

    18. Re:Interesting... by GreyPoopon · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Google was not compelled by a court order to reveal the IP address. It is the judiciary's role to decide whether the plaintiffs are entitled to that information.

      Before we go down this road, it would be helpful to know a little more about relevant laws in Israel. The article indicates that the judge made it clear to Google that it seemed to be a case of criminal activity. Google "took the hint" and provided the information. Without knowing what the law in Israel says about disclosing this type of information during this stage of a court case, it's difficult for us to comment on it.


      So, can anybody in Israel with legal knowledge comment?

      --

      GreyPoopon
      --
      Why is it I can write insightful comments but can't come up with a clever signature?

    19. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nobody is suggesting that Google should ignore criminal abuse, or that somebody should not have the right to ask Google for help in the prosecution of a crime. At least, nobody sane is.

      The problem is quite simply that Google assisted without a court order, or the relevant equivalent in the place of question. If a judge has declared that there is real, sufficient evidence to warrant turning over an IP, then I have no problem with Google complying because there has been some degree of oversight. If Google turn these details over to anyone who asks, though, without any sort of regard for whether or not the breach of privacy is warranted, I have a real problem with that. Anybody should - it opens the door to all manner of nasty abuse.

      Is this not obvious?

    20. Re:Interesting... by sumdumass · · Score: 1

      They notified the guy and told him he had three days to contest their actions.

      This isn't a slippery slope by any means. It isn't even the outrage that it is being made to be. If the guy didn't want his information disclosed, they he should have said something. And yes, that part implies that Google would have waited until absolutely necessary if he contested it.

    21. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      According to which final ruling? Innocent unless proven guilty.
      I haven't heart the defense yet. Tell me why Google should be on the prosecutors side. This is Google taking a stand, instead of Google letting the judge make a stand first with a final ruling. It's good to see you've decided to place the cart in a convenient location, immediately before the horse. There is a certain process in all judicial matters, and part of that process is that the accused must be made aware of the charges they're being brought up on. If google were to protect their anonymity it would defeat this and then there would not in fact be a trial. Google's revealing of this information was not the same as making it public information, rather it was assisting in a specific criminal trial where the information is being used to identify the accused. They have not determined guilt, they have simply decided to be cooperative with the authorities.
    22. Re:Interesting... by rmerry72 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      They notified the guy and told him he had three days to contest their actions.

      They left a note on his blog and told him he had 72 hours to respond with his own comments. One of those actions was to respond to the court as an "anonymous".

      The judge did not rule that Google should hand over the IP address. This was a preliminary ruling only. Google was not ordered by the court to do anything and indeed could have ignored the request without breaking any laws. They chose not too. They chose to take action to help identify own of their bloggers.

      But then the action was nothing more than a shopkeeper telling a lawyer: "Yes, I've seen him, he buys bread here regularly." Now, is the shopkeeper violating his customers privacy? Should the shopkeeper asked for a warrant first?

      --
      We do not inherit the Earth from our parents. We borrow it from our children.
    23. Re:Interesting... by rmerry72 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Who gets to define "criminal"?

      The government. Any and all governments. Each individual government in each individual jurisdication where that government holds power. Even governments we view as being corrupt or morally reprehensible to the determent of their own people.

      How is this different from turning over the id of a Chinese journalist?

      Google was ordered to by the legal court in the country. Google was not ordered so in this case. There was no court order, merely a preliminary ruling. Different country, different law.

      When powerful people get to define what is a crime, then I'm not easy about "criminal" being used as a justifier for the breaking of confidentiality.

      Tough. Criminals have few rights, in some countries less than others. Rights to a "fair trial" or "innocent until proven guilty" are all at the discretion of the ruling power in the land - whichever land that may be - and often on a case by case basis. And yes, some governments define almost everybody as a criminal and then apply whatever punishment they want.

      That's life. Reality bites. Has been for all civilisations for all time, including the one you live in and the one I live in now.

      And no, you shouldn't feel comfortable about it, but then there is nothing you can do to change it. Just avoid getting caught in those countries by those governments.

      --
      We do not inherit the Earth from our parents. We borrow it from our children.
    24. Re:Interesting... by db32 · · Score: 1

      So members of government are only allowed to do it to each other? Or be paid members of the media? Please... Plenty of false accusations to go around...

      --
      The only change I can believe in is what I find in my couch cushions.
    25. Re:Interesting... by SnowZero · · Score: 3, Interesting

      So, can anybody in Israel with legal knowledge comment? Apparently not.

      However, it seems plenty of people can act as armchair lawyers, and assume that the Israeli laws are the same as the US. Most likely, their not. We need better information.
    26. Re:Interesting... by GreyPoopon · · Score: 1

      So members of government are only allowed to do it to each other? Or be paid members of the media? Please... Plenty of false accusations to go around...

      Sorry, but I'm really not sure what you are talking about. If a member of the government (or a paid member of the media) makes statements about another government member in the media that are completely false, they are guilty of either slander or libel and can therefore be sued. If you see political candidates making seemingly untrue claims about each other without any lawsuit following, it's because a) there is some element of truth to the claim, b) the "victim" is reserving the right to use the same tactic on his opponent or c) the "victim" is trying to avoid the Streisand effect.
      --

      GreyPoopon
      --
      Why is it I can write insightful comments but can't come up with a clever signature?

    27. Re:Interesting... by GreyPoopon · · Score: 1

      We need better information.

      Agreed. Maybe we'll get some responses from Israel tomorrow.
      --

      GreyPoopon
      --
      Why is it I can write insightful comments but can't come up with a clever signature?

    28. Re:Interesting... by suzerain · · Score: 1

      I think we should worry more about the government members making accurate claims about THEMSELVES, and then move on to the claims they make about others.

      --
      gameDB
    29. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If the shopkeeper were a judge, then your statement might make sense. Of course, then you have no point.

    30. Re:Interesting... by wikinerd · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Perhaps Google cares about its users as a whole but not as individuals.

      Which actually makes sense for them if we assume that they are in business for the money and that if users as a whole leave then they will lose ad revenue, but an individual alone has little effect on their balance sheet. Is Google in only for the money? I don't know... but most businesses are because they are composed of many different individuals each one having different ideas about ethics, thus causing the business as a whole to act on more-or-less universally accepted goals, and this is usually profit as most if not all people on the planet prefer having their pockets full of money rather than air. Is running a business solely on profit bad or good? Well, I think it's better to take other ethical issues into consideration when doing business and not just count your success by your balance sheet's totals.

    31. Re:Interesting... by powerlord · · Score: 2, Interesting

      What is interesting to me, that no one seems to have brought up, is that the Court itself seems to have offered the opportunity for the Defendant to respond anonymously.

      I don't think there would even be the consideration of something like this in the U.S. (not sure about other countries).

      --
      This space for rent. All reasonable inquiries will be entertained at proprietors discretion.
    32. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let's not ignore that an Israeli journalist, who is apparently accustomed to the way the legal system works in Israel, writes in an Israeli newspaper: "So far as is known, this is the first time that Google forewent legal action in such a case." Unless it is customary in Israel to call subpoenas or court orders "hints", the expression "Google took the hint" also suggests that it was not the proper legal route for weighing privacy against prosecution interests but a shortcut instead.

    33. Re:Interesting... by jelton · · Score: 1

      I am not a lawyer in the U.S., Israel, or anywhere else.

      That being said, I would point out that the norm for due process is typically some form of notice of the proceedings and the subsequent right to respond. The blogger (presumably) had notice and chose not to avail himself of his right to contest his "unmasking."

      Additionally, courts typically prefer to adjudicate cases on their merits and not on procedural gotchas (I know most Slashdotters won't believe me but this is actually true). Thus, if the blogger doesn't respond to the challenge to strip away his anonymity, the court is likely more than happy to name him and proceed to trial on the merits of the libel claim.

      The above, of course, is entirely conjecture. As parent noted, anyone with any knowledge of the Israeli legal system would be able to speak to this case in a far more competent manner than the rest of us.

      --
      I am not a lawyer. This post does not constitute any form of legal advice.
    34. Re:Interesting... by jelton · · Score: 1

      I should probably add that I think that three days is far too short a time to respond, but that really comes down to what the Israeli courts consider to be fair. I was mainly pointing out that, in broad strokes, this doesn't seem all that unjust. By way of comparison, U.S courts continue to allow service of complaints by publication (meaning in the newspaper) when defendants can't be found, albeit upon a much longer timeframe.

      --
      I am not a lawyer. This post does not constitute any form of legal advice.
    35. Re:Interesting... by akirapill · · Score: 3, Funny

      IANAIL

    36. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I am not a lawyer but since no one is picking this up, here are some data points for your reading pleasure (loosely translated)

      1. This is a precedent in Israel

      2. The judge in his ruling wrote "...I have looked through the blog prints. The anonymous writer did not settle for writing public criticism but went on to describe over douzens of blog pages, alleged acts by the plaintiffs which raise an actual concern of criminal acts. In these publications the basic elements of a criminal offense by article 6 in the libel law are to be applied."

      3. Article 1 of said law: "Libel is a publication that may humiliate a person or a corporation in the eyes of the public or make them a target of hate, ridicule or laughter; humiliate a person for behavior or traits that are attributed to them; hurt his job whether public or private, his business or occupation. Humiliate a person for his race, origin, religion, residence, gender or sexual preference."

      4. Article 6 of said law: "If the intent of the publication is to cause harm to two people or more people beyond the offended party -- the judgment is 1 year in prison, meaning that libel under certain circumstances is a criminal offense."

    37. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      tell me why someone shouldn't have the right to ask Google for help in the prosecution of a crime. It wasn't declared a crime yet.

      I'll bet any sum of money that the politician(s) this guy was "libel"ing are more deserving of death than any Iranian or Iraqi.
    38. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      I am not a lawyer, but I am an israeli ;)

      You are mostly right about not defending yourself is a reason for losing a legal proceeding in israel. Since the blogger was invited to place an anonymous response to this challenge and decide not to do so, it was easier for the judge to demand the IP address from google. Another contributing factor, judging from the language of the ruling, was that the judge believed that there is an actual slander case.

      But.... Only a week ago there was a ruling by a different judge related to slander, on one of the forums of a big portal, which was also related to local politicians. It seems that in that case the portal have made a bigger effort to avoid revealing the IP of the poster, and was successful (in its ruling the judge mentioned that she do not believe there was a slander severe enough to justify revealing of the IP).

      Currently there is no law in israel which relates to issues of anonymous slander on the net, and each judge follows his own interpretation of what other judges had decided and the rulings of similar cases in the US and europe. Maybe in the context of the specific judge google's lawyers decision was the most logical course of action, but it seems like they could have fought harder then they did.

    39. Re:Interesting... by PHPfanboy · · Score: 3, Informative

      Shalom/Salaam,

      I'm not a lawyer, but some of my friends are.... anyway, here's a summary based on what was written in TheMarker.com (business press part of the largest newspaper) had to say:

      This anonymous blogger has been writing 3 members of a small local town council (Shaarei Tikva, population 4,500) accusing them of bribery and municipal tax fraud (specifically: lying about their status to get tax breaks - probably saying they are retired, or have smaller properties than they have or haven't declared their swimming pools or something relatively minor). The plaintiffs say this is slander. The Plaintiffs and Google came to an agreement that Google would notify the blogger (they say he read the notification) that he could give up his identity and appear in court, or let them know that he was going send a lawyers letter contesting the claims and he would be represented in court as "John Doe"(or actually the Aramaic word "Ploni" equivalent) and Google would provide his IP address to the court. He did neither.

      The judge said this was a suitable arrangement which on the one hand protects the freedom of speech of the Accused and the Plaintiffs right to defend their reputations. The judge emphasized that 2 weeks ago a judge had ruled in a case against one of the national newspaper sites (www.ynet.co.il) that details of a Poster (blogger or reponse to a news item) can be given over only if the content of the posting can lead to legal proceedings for Slander. Secondly, there was a ruling in April which stated that the Posters address can be revealed if Slander proceedings are waiting on it and it can be provided as "Further Deposition" (or some legal term which means some additional evidence that can influence the case).

      In the judges opinion, there are considerations on both sides: on the one hand, since we're talking about competition over a public position, the public's right to know (the slander) in addition to the deterring surfers from expressing themselves on the internet lean towards protecting the anonymity of the surfer. On the other, you can argue that reputation is even more important to those running for public office. The judge ruled that as we we're talking about the defendents being public figures running for re-election, there is a need to define a new balance between freedom of expression and protection of reputation.

      I'm not sure people would have been going ape-shit about this if it was only a national paper's website being in the process (as had happened a few weeks ago). The fact that it's Google Israel means that we're all assuming that Larry and Sergey have been sharing all our information with any legal authority that requests it, which I'm not sure is the case. I'm not convinced it's evil either. Should offline national slander laws apply to online speech?

      --
      29 mpg. YMMV.
    40. Re:Interesting... by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

      Perhaps Google cares about its users as a whole but not as individuals. More like big companies care for their users in the same way a farmer cares for his animals.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    41. Re:Interesting... by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

      The Torah says that people who bear false witnesses should be stoned to death. I didn't see any mention of them having a right to privacy. Possibly people who violate the right to privacy should be stoned to death too of course, I couldn't be bothered reading the whole thing. Actually didn't read very much of it at all because it annoyed me intensely. I did read an article by Richard Dawkins who summarised it, the Quran and the Bible in fair and balanced way in a couple of thousand words.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    42. Re:Interesting... by aussie_a · · Score: 1

      it was easier for the judge to demand the IP address from google. But they didn't demand, they asked for it. Or do warrants simply not exist in Israel and judges can demand whatever they desire with no oversight?
    43. Re:Interesting... by SolitaryMan · · Score: 1

      tell me when "the right to privacy" became a right to injure others anonymously - safe from any consequences.

      If there is an evidence, there should be a court order, otherwise it is a violation of "the right to privacy", based on speculations.

      --
      May Peace Prevail On Earth
    44. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There was no need for a warrant as this was a settlement between google and the politician's lawyers which was endorsed by the judge. The main purpose of the settelment as I see it, was to get google out of the loop of this case. Google may claim that this was the only possible result of the proceedings and that is why they gave in, but for sure no one actually forced them.

      Actually it is not clear at all if an israeli judge could issue a warrant against google (or what would be the real value of doing this), which is the operator of blogger, and it is probably a different legal entity then google israel.

    45. Re:Interesting... by muffen · · Score: 1

      tell me why Google should ignore criminal abuse of its networks and services. tell me why someone shouldn't have the right to ask Google for help in the prosecution of a crime. tell me when "the right to privacy" became a right to injure others anonymously - safe from any consequences.
      ... and you know this guy is guilty?

      There is a reason there are courts, what will you think of google if it turns out he isn't guilty?

      TFA isn't about protecting criminals, it isn't about not being able to ask for help, nor does it have anything to do with "the right to privacy". TFA is about Google giving out information to lawyers, without a court order, and tbh, that scares me wayyyy more than insulting people anonymously on the internet does.

      It frustrates me seeing people defend this kind of behavior, especially when the same people were applauding ISP's for not giving out information to the xxAA.
      This is exactly the same thing, next time it could be the xxAA asking for IP addresses for people that searched for "crappy artist +torrent". Google has proved they couldn't care less about court orders.
    46. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      tell me when being a victim allows you to avoid due process

    47. Re:Interesting... by gosand · · Score: 1
      However, it seems plenty of people can act as armchair lawyers, and assume that the Israeli laws are the same as the US. Most likely, their not.


      Hey, don't forget about us "armchair grammar police". It's "they're" as in "they are".


      --

      My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.

    48. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And no, you shouldn't feel comfortable about it, but then there is nothing you can do to change it. Just avoid getting caught in those countries by those governments.
      And statments like that are exactly WHY these sorts of environments persist. If you don't feel comfortable about something (such as your government invading a country to steal their oil, black-box electronic voting machines, etc), go out and change it! Raise a stink, start a protest, write to politicians, post to an anonymous blog. Just don't do it on google's blogger. Or at least use some kind of IP anonymizing service.
    49. Re:Interesting... by superyooser · · Score: 1

      Before we go down this road, it would be helpful to know a little more about relevant laws in Israel.

      Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

    50. Re:Interesting... by db32 · · Score: 1

      The New York Times v. Sullivan determined the public's right to free speech overrides the public officials desire to not be defamed UNLESS they can prove that the indvidual was acting with malice.

      --
      The only change I can believe in is what I find in my couch cushions.
    51. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and this is why it is important for governments to be afraid of their people
      they need keeping in check ;)

    52. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And when (in Soviet Russia!), the Jews came for YOU, Google had already given them your IP address!


      Yeah ... Whenever I see one of them Jewish gangs, I always cross over to the other side of the street.

      [/sarcasm]
    53. Re:Interesting... by Caerdwyn · · Score: 1

      Reading the original article FTW... something that the Slashdot folks need to do more often. The Slashdot description: "An anonymous reader alerts us to a story out of Israel in which Google (its Israeli subsidiary) gave up the IP address of a Blogger user without being compelled to do so by a court." But, from the original article: "Following the 72 hour period, Google was ordered to hand over the IP address to the court." Can someone please reconcile the statements in bold, please?

      --
      Everybody gets what the majority deserves.
    54. Re:Interesting... by TargetBoy · · Score: 1

      How is this different than the case of the Chinese journalist jailed by information handed over by Yahoo? After all what they did was illegal in China?

    55. Re:Interesting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Before we go down this road, it would be helpful to know a little more about relevant laws in Israel

      Dude. ROFLMAO. Dude. Uh, Israel, First Testament, hello? Torah? Anyone? The 10 Commandments? Is this thing on? Hello?

      "THOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOR"

      oh, and all 10 commandments are equal/not in any particular order.

  6. I look forward to by gentlemen_loser · · Score: 0, Troll

    reading the comments mindlessly defending how this is not "evil". Google is now beholden only to investors and the all-mighty dollar. Everything is fair game.

    1. Re:I look forward to by slyn · · Score: 2

      reading the comments mindlessly defending how this is not "evil". Google is now beholden only to investors and the all-mighty dollar. Everything is fair game.
      Actually, this would imply that Google is somewhat at the call of the government. Why they would give up the IP address when they didn't have to is beyond my knowledge, but unless the prosecutors in the case were investors or bribing Google, this only shows that business in a country is bound by the laws in that country.
    2. Re:I look forward to by BlueMerle · · Score: 1, Troll

      mindlessly defending how this is not "evil".

      Wow! So I'm to take it that from this one article you now have all the information you need to call anyone that disagrees with you "mindless"!

      Seems somewhat "narrow minded" to me. You must be a Republican!

    3. Re:I look forward to by jgarra23 · · Score: 3, Insightful


      mindlessly defending how this is not "evil".

      Wow! So I'm to take it that from this one article you now have all the information you need to call anyone that disagrees with you "mindless"!

      Seems somewhat "narrow minded" to me. You must be a Republican!

      Well that is specious reasoning. I'm not grandparent, a Republican, or anything else for that matter but not only did you misrepresent grandparent's quote but then you attack him by calling him narrow-minded, then you accuse him of being a Republican with the implication that all Republicans are narrow-minded!

      It does not bode well for your case when you treat your enemy worse than they treat you. Learn some respect for other people's opinions (even if they are criticizing mindless Google-lovers), for narrow-minded people, for Republicans, and for Evil-Baby-Crushing-Google.

    4. Re:I look forward to by BlueMerle · · Score: 2

      Well that is specious reasoning

      And you are implying that the GP's reasoning is lucid? What he basically said was anyone that doesn't think what google did was evil is mindless!... There's some sound logic for you.

      And I'm marked as a Troll? No wonder there are so many AC postings here.

      As to the rest of my post, it's called sarcasm!

      Thanks for taking the time to post a reply, instead of just marking it down. At least we can discuss it this way, weather or not we agree is another matter.

    5. Re:I look forward to by OrangeTide · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Seems somewhat "narrow minded" to me. You must be a Republican!

      Trust me, the Republicans don't have a monopoly on narrow-mindedness.

      Ron Paul is a Republican and he doesn't seem narrow-minded at all.
      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    6. Re:I look forward to by empaler · · Score: 1

      I believe BlueMerle intended to counter-straw gentlemen_loser's straw man.

    7. Re:I look forward to by jgarra23 · · Score: 1


      As to the rest of my post, it's called sarcasm!

      Thanks for taking the time to post a reply, instead of just marking it down. At least we can discuss it this way, weather or not we agree is another matter.

      Ah we both know this too well... My post, while truthful in disagreeing with you, was just me trying to be as heavily sarcasm-laden as well hence the spiraling into bizarre ubsurdity :) I can't stand the disagreement-by-modding-down either... nonsensical sarcastic posts are much more productive and fun to read!

    8. Re:I look forward to by nomadic · · Score: 1

      Ron Paul is a Republican and he doesn't seem narrow-minded at all.

      Ron Paul is one of the most narrow-minded people in politics, by every definition of "narrow-minded" I can think of.

    9. Re:I look forward to by BlueMerle · · Score: 1

      I believe BlueMerle intended to counter-straw gentlemen_loser's straw man.

      Ding! We have a winner. It's a shame that I suck at it though. I think that I'll give up my writing career and stick with Network Administration. I suck at that also, but I work for a small company and no one really knows. ;)

    10. Re:I look forward to by empaler · · Score: 1

      Agh! Hadn't seen that you had, 19 minutes previous, stated this yourself. Sorry, but D2 is giving me problems. (For some reason, it refuses to show me all the posts in a given thread until I've hit 'More' a few times).

    11. Re:I look forward to by c6gunner · · Score: 1

      What's with you Paultards spamming every single discussion lately?

    12. Re:I look forward to by E++99 · · Score: 1

      Wow! So I'm to take it that from this one article you now have all the information you need to call anyone that disagrees with you "mindless"!
      Seems somewhat "narrow minded" to me. You must be a Republican!

      Must be. If he were a Democrat, he would skip "mindless" and go straight to "evil."
  7. Good by emj · · Score: 0

    You need to stand up for your views..

    1. Re:Good by SydShamino · · Score: 1

      Yes, much easier for the sniper to pick you out of the crowd when you stand up.

      --
      It doesn't hurt to be nice.
    2. Re:Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And we are grateful to have Google making sure it happens...

    3. Re:Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You need to stand up for your views.. Very true. But if you stand up for your views and your views are libelous, you must be prepared to accept responsibility for that.

      Freedom of speech is not always a licence to defame others.
  8. Conflicting thoughts by 4D6963 · · Score: 0

    Upon reading this article, two thoughts are conflicting in my head.. "Damn, turns out Google is evil..", "but wait! Google can't be evil, I mean, look at their motto!".

    Truly, I'm confused, please oh wise Slashdotters, enlighten me, is Google evil or not, and why?

    --
    You just got troll'd!
    1. Re:Conflicting thoughts by holophrastic · · Score: 1

      Google, like any other successful company, is loyal to its customers. Unfortunately, too many people are too stupid to realize that when you don't pay for a service, you're not the customer.

      Google is loyal to its customers -- those who pay for Google's services. That means advertisers, researchers who purchase wide access to fast data stores, and governments who offer incentives, tax breaks, and city access.

      If you don't pay for a service, you are not the customer.

    2. Re:Conflicting thoughts by Crudely_Indecent · · Score: 1

      Lets see, Google is a Corporation, and Corporations are generally evil.

      Is anyone really suprised? Wasn't it determined that they're in bed with CIA?

      Evil or no, it really all comes down to trust. Do you trust Google?

      I don't.

      --


      "Lame" - Galaxar
    3. Re:Conflicting thoughts by mi · · Score: 1

      Wasn't it determined that they're in bed with CIA?

      And the CIA is evil because?..

      --
      In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
    4. Re:Conflicting thoughts by 4D6963 · · Score: 3, Funny

      And the CIA is evil because?..

      Because they're a Corpor.. err.. crap! My communist hippie logic is failing me again..

      --
      You just got troll'd!
    5. Re:Conflicting thoughts by Crudely_Indecent · · Score: 3, Informative

      The usual - hiding war criminals, assassination, overthrowing democratically elected governments and supporting bloody coups, misinformation...

      You know, now that I step back and really take a look at it, CIA really reminds me of a fuzzy little bunny.

      --


      "Lame" - Galaxar
    6. Re:Conflicting thoughts by e-scetic · · Score: 1

      Google has successfully headed off the issue, preventing a situation where they might be legally compelled to reveal the IP. Trust me, that's a good thing for everyone.

    7. Re:Conflicting thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's called "lying by repeated assertion". You hear how:
        - SUVs and big trucks are "fuel efficient"
        - airline seats have "good legroom"
        - cubicles are "productive and pleasant"
        - fast food is "healthy"
        - Fox News is "fair and balanced"

      ...and so on.

      You say some complete falsehood about your product often enough, and soon enough people start to believe you. Not everybody, but enough.

    8. Re:Conflicting thoughts by 4D6963 · · Score: 1

      You say some complete falsehood about your product often enough, and soon enough people start to believe you.

      I can completely relate to that, a while ago people started saying that this year would be the year of the Linux desktop, and years after hearing that, I finally believe it, 1999 will be the year of the Linux desktop!

      --
      You just got troll'd!
    9. Re:Conflicting thoughts by c6gunner · · Score: 1

      You say those things as if they were bad.

      Whenever you're done badmouthing the CIA, feel free to go up to a WW2 veteran and accuse him of murder, overthrowing a democratically elected government, and supporting bloody coups. You'll technically be correct, but I'll still get a good deal of enjoyment out of watching an 80 year old man beat the snot out of you with his cane.

    10. Re:Conflicting thoughts by DrEldarion · · Score: 1

      Oh, yes, I trust that guy completely when he makes claims like "There's no way that building could have come down without controlled demolition."

      One nutjob saying things is hardly proof.

    11. Re:Conflicting thoughts by MadUndergrad · · Score: 1

      Do you ever wonder why the Iranians hate us? It might have to do with us helping the Brits in overthrowing their democratically elected government and installing a dictator (the Shah), then giving him protection here when they overthrew him in their Islamic revolution.

      Yeah, that's your beloved CIA.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d'%C3%A9tat

    12. Re:Conflicting thoughts by c6gunner · · Score: 2, Funny

      *shrug*

      Sure, that's as convenient an excuse as any, although pretty irrelevant, really. A much more likely reason would be the constant propaganda being drummed up by middle-eastern regimes, as well as the unwaivering American support of Israel (and the rabbid-hatred of same by all muslim nations). In reality, it's certainly a mix of factors, and your simplistic analysis doesn't even begin to scratch the surface.

      But yes, if you just want easy answers that you can understand without having to really think, then sure, blame the American assistance of the Brits. And don't ask yourself why the Iranians seem to hate a minor player more than the main character. That'll just lead to more troublesome questions which you don't know how to answer.

    13. Re:Conflicting thoughts by MadUndergrad · · Score: 1

      Irrelevant? If you don't remember the original cause of your dispute, you're never going to end it. Since Israel was founded a few years before we toppled Iran's government, perhaps they were pissed for that first. I wasn't really going for in-depth analysis of the situation, just pointing out that the CIA isn't a happy groups that doesn't do evil things. As for Iran, you're right on this bit: our continuing unwavering kowtowing to Israel certainly isn't going to bring them any closer to being our friends. Bush's constantly calling them evil probably doesn't help, either. As for the propaganda, that may propagate it, but that's an effect of the situation, not a cause. There's obviously no simple answer, but one of the earlier and primary reasons they hate us is the installation and harboring of the Shah.

    14. Re:Conflicting thoughts by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

      feel free to go up to a WW2 veteran and accuse him of murder, overthrowing a democratically elected government, and supporting bloody coups. Whenever I make that point I always call it a democratically elected socialist government.
      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    15. Re:Conflicting thoughts by amorsen · · Score: 1

      hiding war criminals, assassination, overthrowing democratically elected governments and supporting bloody coups, misinformation...

      Don't forget torture and making people "disappear".

      --
      Finally! A year of moderation! Ready for 2019?
    16. Re:Conflicting thoughts by mi · · Score: 1

      Do you ever wonder why the Iranians hate us? us? It might have to do with us helping the Brits in overthrowing their democratically elected government and installing a dictator (the Shah)

      They should be kissing our hands for preventing their country from becoming USSR's 16th "republic". That's what it would've been, if it weren't for our interference. Shah may not have been very nice, but joining the Soviet block would've been far worse for them — and that's the only other option they had at the time.

      Even their current Islamic theocracy is much better than the Communist dictatorship they were heading for.

      --
      In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
    17. Re:Conflicting thoughts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Without going into details - because they seem to operate by the principle of "the ends justify the means".

      Additionally, spying is inherently hypocritical. Almost every country spies in violation of the laws of other countries, but has similar laws itself.

  9. Do no evil? That's funny by Infonaut · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "Do no evil"?

    Do no evil + IPO = Public company

    IPO = Public company

    Google is just as good, bad, or ugly as the next public company. They're trying to balance the interests of their shareholders and their belief in doing no evil. In the end, the interests of shareholders will win every time. If they can keep clear of any illegal insider trading, mistreatment of employees, or other b.s. that affects so many public companies, that'll be a "good" outcome. Believing that somehow Google is different because it thinks it is different is pure fantasy.

    It's 2007, folks. The Cult of the Shareholder rules.

    --
    Read the EFF's Fair Use FAQ
    1. Re:Do no evil? That's funny by TheVelvetFlamebait · · Score: 1

      On the other hand, "do no evil" provided them with the success necessary to make the shareholders rich, and their customers may be coming to them only for that motto. Some shareholders, perhaps, only invest in Google because of that motto. "Do no evil" will always play a part in resolving the wants of the Google shareholders.

      --
      You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
    2. Re:Do no evil? That's funny by hax0r_this · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Don't be absurd, they're not trying to balance anything with the interests of their share holders.

      Google is a company that relies heavily on its public image. Hurting that image is bad for it's share holders. Thats why any significant company has PR people. Just that with Google they take it a good deal further than most, and its obviously served their wallets well.

      I don't mean to disparage Google, I tremendously enjoy a good number of their services, but lets be realistic.

    3. Re:Do no evil? That's funny by ronocdh · · Score: 1

      I don't mean to disparage Google, I tremendously enjoy a good number of their services
      Trying desperately to hang onto that IP address, huh? ;)
    4. Re:Do no evil? That's funny by charlieman · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That's the thing with big companies, once they get big they forget how they did it.

    5. Re:Do no evil? That's funny by Infonaut · · Score: 1

      Some shareholders, perhaps, only invest in Google because of that motto. "Do no evil" will always play a part in resolving the wants of the Google shareholders.

      I'm sure some investors put their money in Google not to make money, but to avoid doing evil. But fund managers and large institutional investors and high-wealth folks don't operate that way. That doesn't leave many shares for the "investment not for profit, but for warm fuzziness" crowd.

      --
      Read the EFF's Fair Use FAQ
    6. Re:Do no evil? That's funny by TheVelvetFlamebait · · Score: 1

      Sure, but even the fund managers have to decide whether dropping or digressing from their motto will harm or benefit their profits. For every evil they do, they lose face and ultimately customers. That's exactly why we largely permit corporate greed, because it's supposed to work out in the consumer's favour. Of course, that doesn't always happen, but usually it does. It'll be interesting to see what proves to be the rule or the exception.

      --
      You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
    7. Re:Do no evil? That's funny by Infonaut · · Score: 1

      For every evil they do, they lose face and ultimately customers. That's exactly why we largely permit corporate greed, because it's supposed to work out in the consumer's favour.

      It would be nice if you're right. I truly hope my cynicism is proven wrong. Perhaps that business organizations class last semester left me too jaded for my own good.

      --
      Read the EFF's Fair Use FAQ
    8. Re:Do no evil? That's funny by aussie_a · · Score: 1

      The fact you equate encouraging others to not do evil with "having a warm fuzziness" says a lot about you.

    9. Re:Do no evil? That's funny by Daniel+Phillips · · Score: 1

      The motto is "don't be evil".

      --
      Have you got your LWN subscription yet?
  10. Slippery Slope.... by boyter · · Score: 1

    Now Google starts to slide into the abyss with Microsoft/Sony/SCO and all the other evil companies.

  11. Do No Evil by sc0ob5 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I guess that doesn't mean much to Google anymore.

    1. Re:Do No Evil by microbee · · Score: 1

      Oh come on, you are not that naive are you?

      It's a company. It can afford to do less evil when it has money and stock price skyrockets, but if it has to choose between the two, which one do you think it'd pick?

      Business is business.

    2. Re:Do No Evil by tgd · · Score: 1

      Um, since when does anyone (person, corporation or otherwise) get to ignore the courts?

      Do no evil? Obeying the law isn't evil, its their corporate responsibility. If the people of Isreal have a problem with those laws, they can address that with their government. Its not Google's business ethically or otherwise to do that.

    3. Re:Do No Evil by Chapter80 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Not to be too pedantic, but the actual informal motto is "Don't be evil". It has more to do with how they are, not what they do.

    4. Re:Do No Evil by sc0ob5 · · Score: 1

      Wow, now people not only don't read the article, they don't read the summary either. They were not required by law to give out the information, they did it of their own free will.

    5. Re:Do No Evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Um, why don't you read the fucking article and see that they weren't ignoring the courts. The courts never ordered them to give the information. They did it on their own accord.

    6. Re:Do No Evil by mattgreen · · Score: 0

      Not to be too pedantic, but the actual informal motto is "Don't be evil". It has more to do with how they are, not what they do. Oh, well that changes *everything*! Hey everyone, retain your Google halo, but don't hold them accountable anymore!

      Seriously, since when do people feel the need to stick up for a corporation? They don't care about you at all. Why should you defend them?
    7. Re:Do No Evil by S1mmo+61 · · Score: 1

      It seems 'do no evil' is becoming double-speak.

    8. Re:Do No Evil by jelton · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Seriously, since when do people feel the need to stick up for a corporation? They don't care about you at all. Why should you defend them?
      I defend corporations because I like plenty of food in my belly, my desk job that pays better than being a hunter-gatherer and the ability to engage in many leisure activities in the evening rather than cowering in a cave, stoking my fire and fearing wild animals.

      Hooray progress!
      --
      I am not a lawyer. This post does not constitute any form of legal advice.
    9. Re:Do No Evil by Chapter80 · · Score: 1

      Well, aside from simply correcting the misstatement of their informal motto, I was trying to make the point that "do no evil" states an absolute - not one single evil thing. Don't be evil is more of a scale: On a scale of good vs. evil, don't be evil. You can be good. You can be right in the middle. Just don't be evil. And an occasional evil deed (given that in reality, deeds are not always so clear-cut binary), will not tip the scales to the corporation "being evil".

    10. Re:Do No Evil by mattgreen · · Score: 1

      I defend corporations because I like plenty of food in my belly, my desk job that pays better than being a hunter-gatherer and the ability to engage in many leisure activities in the evening rather than cowering in a cave, stoking my fire and fearing wild animals.

      Hooray progress! Strawman argument. Corporations serve a useful purpose to us, and we as individuals serve them to some extent. But we don't need to afford them respect to continue living a civilized life. We need only view them in a pragmatic sense, rather than an emotional one.
  12. What could be more fair? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    FTA:

    Quote: "The notice would invite the blogger to disclose his identity, participate in the hearing, or oppose the disclosure of his identity by filing a motion as "anonymous"."
    End Quote

    Hey after all he was warned. "...the Israeli blogger who used "Google Blogger" for a blog in which he slandered Shaarei Tikva council members running for reelection. ..." In a free democracy, he should have know better than to slander someone in Israel, guess he should have used the Arab Media.

    1. Re:What could be more fair? by goingforaslash · · Score: 1

      In a free democracy, he should have know better than to slander someone
      Well, I thought in a "free democracy", a court decided slander???

      American?
    2. Re:What could be more fair? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Israel is neither free nor a democracy

    3. Re:What could be more fair? by goingforaslash · · Score: 1

      Mmm, well

      In the State of Israel, which was founded on May 14, 1948, as in other democratic states, the democratic rule is rooted in the following principles and institutions: basic laws which lay down the order of government and of the citizens' rights; the holding of elections to the house of representatives and to municipal councils every few years, following which, a central government and local authorities are set up, based on the principle of the rule of the majority, with the rights of the minority guaranteed by law; the principle of the separation between the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judiciary, to which the institution of state control has been added; freedom of the press.

      http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Branches%20of%20Government/Executive/Israeli%20Democracy%20-%20How%20does%20it%20work/

    4. Re:What could be more fair? by base3 · · Score: 1

      I have no familiarity whatsoever with Israeli politics, but I know enough about human nature to believe that there must be something to the "slander" given that the targets are working so hard to suppress it.

      --
      One CPU cycle wasted on digital restrictions management is ONE TOO MANY.
    5. Re:What could be more fair? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think what the previous poster was referring to was the Freedom Part(to all equality). Without that Democracy doesn't mean much, no matter how eloquently it was written up in the beginning.

    6. Re:What could be more fair? by jdtch · · Score: 1

      Compare the relative freedom of Arabs in Israel to that of Jews in Arab countries.

    7. Re:What could be more fair? by harlows_monkeys · · Score: 1

      I have no familiarity whatsoever with Israeli politics, but I know enough about human nature to believe that there must be something to the "slander" given that the targets are working so hard to suppress it

      Wait a second. So if I were to accuse you of, say, being a child molester, and publish those accusations where your neighbors and co-workers would see them, and you were to try hard to get me to stop, the proper conclusion is that there must be something to the accusation because you aren't ignoring it???

      You might want to think this through a little more...

    8. Re:What could be more fair? by base3 · · Score: 1

      It's an invalid comparison--politicians are public figures. Even so, such an accusation, if unfounded, would die out on its own. Attempts at damage control would encourage the "where there's smoke, there's fire" perception, right or not.

      --
      One CPU cycle wasted on digital restrictions management is ONE TOO MANY.
    9. Re:What could be more fair? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unless your a blogger.

      Sorry couldn't resist.

    10. Re:What could be more fair? by Averyge+Joe · · Score: 1

      No offense, but you're an idiot also! What if said "blogger" was on the road for a couple of days or perhaps terrorists knocked out his/her internet connection and he/she was unable to recieve said message. I don't know all the facts in this case so I'm inclined not to jump to judgement but it doesn't appear that you've even considered all the obvious avenues.

    11. Re:What could be more fair? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's irrelevant. The fact is, there is institutional racism in the State of Israel, and many of its actions and policies do not stand up to close scrutiny.

      Try defending them on their own merits without resorting to finger pointing and distractions.

    12. Re:What could be more fair? by jdtch · · Score: 1

      The fact that there is no institutional racism in Israel is irrelevant to the allegation that there is? There may be racism among the people of Israel, but it is not a matter of government policy, as with virtually every one of the state's neighbors. Anyway, iIf comparison to surrounding countries is an invalid means of defending national policy, what do you suggest? Everything is something in comparison to something else, not on its own merit.

  13. Not necessarily bad (read before flaming me)... by hax0r_this · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm not sure that I fully understand the situation, but if Google had waited until the final ruling to release the IP would that have actually prevented the blogger in question from fighting the ruling? If that is the case then short of simply defying a court order (which is something that should be considered on a case by case basis) this would seem to have been the best thing Google could have done. Had they waited they would have been allowing the plaintiff to "pull an RIAA" on the guy (or girl). If, on the other hand, that is not the case then shame on Google (a bit anyway - I still think Yahoo's games with the guy in China were much worse, but that doesn't excuse this).

    1. Re:Not necessarily bad (read before flaming me)... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It makes no difference... if google provided the IP under these circumstances, then they certainly would have provided it under court order. The bit of info they provided is the exact same info yahoo provided. Only to different governments who wanted it for different reasons.

    2. Re:Not necessarily bad (read before flaming me)... by hax0r_this · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Yes. And when you ask me for a gun so you can murder your wife, if I give it to you then most people would consider that "evil". When my brother asks to borrow my gun to go hunting most people (non-animal-rights activists anyway) would consider it to be just fine for me to loan it to him.

      Circumstances are important in judging the morality of an action by most standards (unless you've been reading Kant - in which case I'm sorry).

    3. Re:Not necessarily bad (read before flaming me)... by GoofyBoy · · Score: 1

      Its all about perception.

      Google didn't wait; so the story is that they gave the information when they didn't need to. (and they would give you up too if simply nudged by authority)
      Google waited; its a interesting story but Google was forced to do so (obey laws of the land, good corporation, it would be "evil" not to do so.)

      Big different in waiting for an official court ruling.

      --
      The surprise isn't how often we make bad choices; the surprise is how seldom they defeat us.
    4. Re:Not necessarily bad (read before flaming me)... by prelelat · · Score: 1

      Yes it seems that people on slashdot tend to think the the black and white a lot. Sometimes.. a lot of the time the world is more shades of Grey. it's hard to make judgments that are not "evil" when you if you don't make exceptions to circumstances you may be doing evil as well.

      I think that some people around here are not as quite open minded as they might think. Your post made me happy.

    5. Re:Not necessarily bad (read before flaming me)... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tremendously skewed analogy aside, who said i was justifying the morality of it? i think it's a horrible situation for both of these companies. only pointing out that it doesn't matter whether google waited for the final ruling or not. they complied with the local authorities (who felt their actions were moral, but who are we to know?), turning over user info which can be a scary precedent.

  14. Please understand... it's Israel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    They had several servers at gun point when they asked for the IP address.

    1. Re:Please understand... it's Israel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, but I will laugh when Google Saudi Arabia turns over an IP address when they threaten to hijack an airplane and crashed it into their data center.

      Oh, and don't worry, I'm not limited to the middle east. I can also laugh at Google Ireland have a few servers beaten up in a pub, or Google France just surrendering before the question is even asked.

    2. Re:Please understand... it's Israel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dammit, undoing an accidental "underrated" mod. Sigh.

  15. How Can You by Trailwalker · · Score: 5, Funny

    Slander a politician? Did he accuse them of honesty?

    1. Re:How Can You by garbletext · · Score: 1

      +5, Teh Funnay.

  16. What the hell... by davidsyes · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Have any of you considered that the Mossad has plants working AT Google, and that (like other countries with plants working in key or security-critical employers-- civil or private) that plant's duty was to monitor, collect, report on, sanitize, and enable the use of it for government purposes, whether to bring charges against someone or to slander someone?

    Most of the comments so far (among the 1st 15) make it seem like Google is slipping into the hells. It very well could be that MOD/Israel contacted Google USA out of cursory moves, but already planned to use the IP collected whether or NOT GUSA assented, and probably had plans to SAY GUSA cooperated.

    Of course, the US State Department and other agencies might WELCOME this, as another ruse/means of getting 'merkuns to RELAX their expectations of privacy over security.

    Any more informed or better opinions to follow those prior to my own (slanted) assumptions here?

    --
    Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
    1. Re:What the hell... by goldspider · · Score: 0, Troll

      When in doubt, blame it on the JEWS!!1!one!

      --
      "Ask not what your country can do for you." --John F. Kennedy
    2. Re:What the hell... by spicate · · Score: 1

      You can believe it was because of Jewish spies - I'm torn between Microsoft and global warming.

    3. Re:What the hell... by statemachine · · Score: 1

      Have any of you considered that the Mossad has plants working AT Google

      Of course, when you realize that every single Israeli citizen old enough to serve is drafted into the military and is in the active reserves for the remaining time, you should no longer be surprised to have employed a member of the Mossad. You should expect it to happen.

      However, the likelihood of the Mossad working on a low-level Internet slander case is one I'll leave up for debate.

    4. Re:What the hell... by megaditto · · Score: 1

      You are just paranoid. Precious tools like spies, nukes, or torture are only used when the National Security or large sums of money are involved.

      And since Israel is not stupid enough to give up a valuable asset for a simple libel investigation, it's was really up to Google to spill the beans on the guy.

      --
      Obama likes poor people so much, he wants to make more of them.
    5. Re:What the hell... by purple_cobra · · Score: 1

      Erm, it was in Israel, so I think it's fair to assume someone Jewish was involved somewhere, and Mossad are well-known for their shady - even by intelligence standards - tactics.

    6. Re:What the hell... by svunt · · Score: 1

      How the hell is this marked insightful? I've never seen anything so patently drooling-on-your-shirt crazy getting modded UP. Dude, have you ANY IDEA how hard it is to get a job at Google? How big do you figure Google Israel's offices are, exactly? Why do I get the feeling you talk a lot about "international bankers" and such?

    7. Re:What the hell... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Only on Slashdot is this a more reasonable explanation.

    8. Re:What the hell... by c6gunner · · Score: 2, Insightful

      How the hell is this marked insightful? I've never seen anything so patently drooling-on-your-shirt crazy getting modded UP.
      Have any of you considered that the PLO has plants working AT Slashdot, and that (like other countries with plants working in key or security-critical employers-- civil or private) that plant's duty is to mod up comments which blame the Mossad?

      Ok, no, seriously, there's some really nutty people running around on slashdot :p
    9. Re:What the hell... by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

      Of course, when you realize that every single Israeli citizen old enough to serve is drafted into the military and is in the active reserves for the remaining time, you should no longer be surprised to have employed a member of the Mossad. You should expect it to happen.
      A lot of US residents have been in the military. I doesn't mean they have the 24 hour number to Intel on speed dial, or work for the CIA...
      --
      If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
    10. Re:What the hell... by cyberwench · · Score: 1

      Ummm, no? Hadn't actually considered that at all. Completely apart from your "slanted" assumptions, why the hell would they bother with a minor civil libel suit? Are Mossad known for being bored and short of things to do, or do you figure this is more of a hobby thing?

      --
      ~ Leilah
    11. Re:What the hell... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      nah, based on Occum's Razor its more likely that the trend of Transnational Progresivism is more likely to be behind the leanings of many people leaning toward protecting the rights and ideals of those "Poor People" who would rather see you killed, your children dead, and your daughters and wives taken as slaves and concubines.

      Even after 9-11 when I witnessed "Arab Americas" dancing in the street with my own eyes, some people don't get that there is a serious conflict between "Radical Islam" and the rest of the world.

    12. Re:What the hell... by PHPfanboy · · Score: 1

      Mossad is only involved in operations outside of Israel. There are other intelligence agencies that operate within Israel (General Security Service), but this is a criminal case being handled by courts and lawyers. Let's not get too excited with conspiracy theories, we have enough of them already in the Middle East.

      --
      29 mpg. YMMV.
    13. Re:What the hell... by statemachine · · Score: 1

      Every single U.S. citizen isn't in the active military, unlike Israeli citizens. And I never said that every single Israeli citizen is a member of the Mossad. But with everyone being in the military, you shouldn't be surprised if you also employ a Mossad member. That's all.

  17. Basic precuation by Alex+Pennace · · Score: 1

    For anything you do not want to be easily traced back to you, use Tor. Much better than relying on any intermediate parties to withhold your identity -- even if they mean the best.

    1. Re:Basic precuation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tor hides your location, not your identity. What good is a hidden location when you're authenticating to the other end?

    2. Re:Basic precuation by Alex+Pennace · · Score: 1

      Tor hides your location, not your identity. What good is a hidden location when you're authenticating to the other end? If the other end (in this case, Google) knew more about that person's identity, then why wasn't that information released? It strikes me that all Google had was a throw-away email address for that blog.
  18. Keep in mind by moogied · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This is Isreal, not America. Its laws and enviroment is Different. This also was not a google CEO choice, it was probably some middle manager in Isreal.

    --
    So basically, -1 troll/offtopic is really slashdots way of saying "I hate that you thought of something before me."
    1. Re:Keep in mind by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Also, Google's motto in Israel is "What's not to like?"

    2. Re:Keep in mind by iocat · · Score: 1

      I forget what internet law I'm about to violate, or validate, but -- Hitler didn't gas anyone himself, either. It's not about who's hand pulls the trigger, it's about who's running the ship. I can see rolling over with a court order; that's the law. Rolling over without a court order, that seems slimy.

      --

      Dude, I think I can see my house from here.

    3. Re:Keep in mind by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      The idea that Israel has different definitions of Evil can be debated, but the excuse that it wasn't the CEO, but some middle manager that did the deed is simply not an acceptable excuse. Businesses use that excuse all the time, and it is utter bullshit. If you are a business, you are responsible for the actions that your employees take through the authority that you give them. We know that it is a common practice for businesses to tell "middle managers" that they just need to get something done, knowing exactly how they will do it, but playing the plausible deniabilty card.

    4. Re:Keep in mind by LingNoi · · Score: 1
      This is slightly offtopic but...

      Hitler didn't gas anyone himself, either. It's not about who's hand pulls the trigger, it's about who's running the ship.
      Actually I have to disagree. I believe that everyone is responsible for their own actions.
      A Nazi that kills a baby and says "He's just doing his job" because Hitler told him to is responsible. All those Germans that voted him into power are responsible. Everyone is responsible, because everyone does their own evil deeds to contribute.

      This is what Google means when it comes to "Do no Evil". Individual responsibility for your actions.

      Next time you watch the news look out for the lines "Just doing my job". It could be a soldier in a pointless war or a policemen that is in a highly political problem. They don't want to take individual responsibility for their actions that they feel are wrong. So they pass on the blame to make themselves feel better, rather then standing up for what is right.
  19. Quite simply: by gentlemen_loser · · Score: 1, Funny

    Evil.

    Do not get me wrong - I do not believe that Google is evil because they started out that way. Additionally, I do not believe that Google is evil because they are an evil corporation(TM). Rather, I believe that Google is evil because they are a publicly held/traded corporation. At this point, all of the Good(TM) mottos in the world will be unable to save them because their primary goal, second to "Don't be evil", is to serve the shareholders. It amazes me that ANY individuals are so willing to give their private data up to any public company.

    The moral of the story - its a lot easier for a company to have "morals" if it is privately held.

    On a brighter note, maybe we can coin a new term: Googged
    Definition: To have been fucked by Google.
    Usage (verb) (as a victim who has had their imagined private data used in an undesirable way against them) - Dude, I've been Googged!

    1. Re:Quite simply: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm pretty sure that as a publicly traded company in America, the law suggests that "Don't be evil" must come second to serving the shareholders. IANAIL (I am not an international lawyer).

    2. Re:Quite simply: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Google has addressed the shareholders saying that they believe that their code of ethics, which causes decisions that may not necessarily be beneficial in the short term, will work out best for the shareholders in the long term.

  20. "probably" by ackthpt · · Score: 1

    Such a mighty legal term.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  21. Isn't that funny... by TheVelvetFlamebait · · Score: 1

    I was just about to post something similar about the flood of comments that claim respecting court orders is somehow evil. I have a feeling this'll be a mighty flame war. Speaking of which, where are the flamebait mods when you need them?

    --
    You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
  22. Location, location by Zatchmort · · Score: 1

    It's pretty obvious that a court order was forthcoming. Google just smoothed things out and caused a little less paperwork. A dangerous path to go down, but I think in this instance there was no harm done. As a side note, I find it interesting who the plaintiffs were. Last time I checked, in the US public officials are unlikely to sue for libel, since they have to prove malice (either the defendant knew the statements were false, or published them with reckless disregard for the truth). That's a pretty hard barrier to overcome, since you have to prove something about what the defendant knew and thought.

  23. What google is really about. by catwh0re · · Score: 5, Insightful
    If what you mean is that Google is beholden to the law in the countries in which it operates. I agree fully.

    Otherwise it's just sensationalist nonsense. Google is a company with an aim to generate income. However much of it's business deals are driven by the knowledge that google works in "good faith" with it's partners. (Many companies won't partner with Microsoft on new technologies because they don't want to be the next SGI/Fahrenheit sucker.)

    Companies, universities and investors would not embrace google if it's practices were unfair on it's users. From reading the article we can see that Google actually made a decent decision and gave the anonymous user options before eventually releasing the details.

    Google needs to appear as a reasonable entity to the courts. If google fights the courts to the last frontier in every case it is presented, it would not only be costly to the company, but give google a damaging litigious image. Instead google chooses it's battles wisely for the betterment of it's users allowing it to defend more important legal issues with success..

    1. Re:What google is really about. by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

      If what you mean is that Google is beholden to the law in the countries in which it operates.
      Hmmm. Let's switch out a few things...

      Concentration camp worker: Hey, just following the laws of the land...
      Remember Yahoo and the Chinese dissident? Just following the laws of the land in China, what's the problem? Seriously, just because a company is "publicly traded" and in business to make money doesn't mean they should do so at all costs regardless of morality.
      --
      If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
    2. Re:What google is really about. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      while your comment about yahoo is definitely legitimate, the second part of the parent post addressed this scope. that was: picking the right battles. The Yahoo situation was despicable as yahoo bent over backwards to help the chinese government. Google in this case went through a process and gave the anonymous blogger options. Which is unlike yahoo who just gave up the details of their user with little questioning.

    3. Re:What google is really about. by sweetlipsbutterhoney · · Score: 1

      What google is really about. (Score:5, Insightful) by catwh0re (540371) Alter Relationship on Tuesday November 27, @03:22PM (#21498787)

      That comment was coherent, logical, intelligent, and persuasive, so you are hereby BANNED from slashdot forever!!1!1

  24. Three days isn't nearly long enough by Jimmy_B · · Score: 5, Insightful

    According to the article, Google released the blogger's identity when he failed to respond within 72 hours. That is MUCH too fast. Even if he dropped what he was doing and acted immediately, it would still take longer than that to figure out what's going on, get a lawyer, and draft a response. That's ignoring the fact that he probably didn't receive the message immediately (subtract 24 hours), probably had other things on his plate (subtract another 24 hours) and may not have even realized that the notice was legit. (An e-mail is not a legitimate court summon. If you receive one which claims to be, it is probably a scam.)

    1. Re:Three days isn't nearly long enough by zuvembi · · Score: 1

      Or what if he's on vacation? Going to visit your mother for a weekend visit [1] and maybe don't check all your email accounts? If he's been doing it for a year, what was the big rush?

      [1] I'm assuming unlike the rest of the Slashdot audience he doesn't live in her basement.

    2. Re:Three days isn't nearly long enough by Televiper2000 · · Score: 1

      In cases like this "I need some time to respond" would have been a sufficient response in the first 72 hours. Google did confirm that he got the message.

      --
      New! Device Legs: These legs will help your poor OEM installed product escape any hamfistedness it may encounter. Ava
    3. Re:Three days isn't nearly long enough by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "(An e-mail is not a legitimate court summon. If you receive one which claims to be, it is probably a scam.)" Actually it is, just as a fax is, and it only needs to be sent by one of the lawyers(they have names for them, something like process server or something), not necessarily only the authorities(sheriff). Just so you know. If you ever think you might get one, and don't want it, make sure you turn off all of your communication devices, and hide from everyone. They just have to show that it was used by you at some point in the past. Not all that hard.

    4. Re:Three days isn't nearly long enough by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Um, yeah, that's why all those former process servers are out looking for other jobs. In all the examples you cite, it's pretty much impossible to prove service, which is the point of hiring someone to deliver the subpoena and to be able to say under oath that he had done so. That said, people may accept service by those alternative means voluntarily, but don't count on it to work on a hostile party.

    5. Re:Three days isn't nearly long enough by Kwirl · · Score: 1

      Three days IS long enough to hit the reply button, acknowledge the message and inform them that you are looking at potential options. Even if I typed one key per minute, I could have that message sent in under two hours, leaving me 70 hours to find someone who can type faster and defend me. The guy in question did not even make an attempt to acknowledge Google's efforts to provide him an opportunity to refute the charges. Blaming google for this is just stupid.

    6. Re:Three days isn't nearly long enough by greed · · Score: 1

      If you've never been out of e-mail range for more than 72 hours... ...then I feel sorry for you. Take a vacation to somewhere the cellphone and Wi-Fi don't work. At least try it once in your life, anyway. Give it a week.

      Bringing the laptop is OK, as long as you promise to only use it as a DVD player when it's raining outside.

  25. What will they do? by goingforaslash · · Score: 1

    Maybe the blogger will be "in the army and off to the front", and therefore, unable to comment!

  26. Comcast vs Google vs Apple vs MS by king-manic · · Score: 5, Funny
    Google: would require a court order to give the IP. negotiated a weak compromise. handed over IP.

    Comcast: Would give the IP without a court order, offer to enable electronic wiretaps, and give full logs of everything that IP did.

    Apple: Would require a court order to give IP. Negotiate a weak compromise. Hand over the IP on a sleek and stylish apple brand flash drive.

    Microsoft:

    It appears you are trying to arrest an anonymous person. Would you like me to:

    *Find their unique CPU ID?

    *Transmit contents of their hard drive?

    *Enable back door key logger?

    *Contact Microsoft Sales representative for more options?

    --
    "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
    1. Re:Comcast vs Google vs Apple vs MS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > Microsoft:
      > It appears you are trying to arrest an anonymous person. Would you like me to:
      >
      > *Find their unique CPU ID?
      >
      > *Transmit contents of their hard drive?
      >
      > *Enable back door key logger?
      >
      > *Contact Microsoft Sales representative for more options?
      >

      "Yes, please."

      At this point, the connection suddenly went silent, and the telephone turned blue.

  27. Re:hi, I'm non-white... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    I wouldn't want to cooperate with a company that does business in apartheid Sout.. err Israel.

    That would be a good thing to do. You would have to stop using not just Google but computers in general though. And many, many, many other things too. Do your own research.

  28. Re:hi, I'm non-white... by qbzzt · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Would you also review your patronage of companies that do business with Saudi Arabia, which forbids any exercise of non-Muslim religion? Israel isn't perfect, but it does have non-Jewish citizens, and allows the exercise of other religions. It does discriminate, but it goes both ways. Non Jewish citizens aren't usually forced to serve in the military, although they can volunteer.

    --
    -- Support a free market in the field of government
  29. Mandatory to log the IPs? by hardtofindanick · · Score: 1

    Does google have to log the IPs? IIRC some libraries are not keeping the logs/keeping a limited log of who borrowed which book.

  30. So what if I murder somebody? by EmbeddedJanitor · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Everyone eventually dies anyway.

    Following due process is important and Google should have done so. Releasing info without court demand is as bad as searching without a warrant.

    --
    Engineering is the art of compromise.
    1. Re:So what if I murder somebody? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think we're looking at this differently. You seem to see it in one lump of "wrong," where I see two separate things (the lack of a court order being the first, and then the giving of the information). We agree on the first point, so I really don't think there's any argument to be had here.

    2. Re:So what if I murder somebody? by msormune · · Score: 1

      You really can't see the difference between Google giving up IP address of someone abusing their networks and you murdering someone? Wow. Dexter would be proud.

    3. Re:So what if I murder somebody? by scuba0 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      First, the defendant is "probably" using their network to slander someone. The court haven't desided that yet, therefor no court-order. Google just assumed that they where correct and handed over the IP-adress even though the accusations where not defenitely a crime.

    4. Re:So what if I murder somebody? by E++99 · · Score: 1

      Following due process is important and Google should have done so. Releasing info without court demand is as bad as searching without a warrant.

      Google isn't the government. Google, like anyone else, should do as they see fit, proper and moral, so far as it is not in violation of their terms of service or the law.
    5. Re:So what if I murder somebody? by E++99 · · Score: 1

      The court decided that the actions did appear to constitute a crime, and that the suit should go forward. As the identity of the person is required for the suit to go forward, why should Google NOT provide it?

    6. Re:So what if I murder somebody? by reaper · · Score: 1

      Bullshit. They're under no pressure to hide things from the law. They could give me all of anyone's access logs and never be criminally liable.

      Bottom line is they assumed that the prelim would hold up and rather than piss off the authorities, they decided to hand it over after a few days to give the guy a chance to appeal their action. It's a compromise so as not to piss off the authorities. You want to argue that they should have given him more time, fine. You want to argue that the libel is an outdated concept, fine. Don't compare releasing log data with illegal search and seizure. Google can pretty much do anything it wants to with it's access log, regardless of what the privacy policy states (since they can change it at any point, and you've already agree to these changes).

      --
      - Dan
    7. Re:So what if I murder somebody? by scuba0 · · Score: 1

      Because they don't have to untill proven that there is a crime being commited. Its like searching someones home in case you hide cocaine their.

  31. So What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I love how all the slashbots defend anybody, in any court case, as long as they aren't a business, big or small, and do something online. Slander DOES exist, and it does happen, and while there is a chance the case is BS, it might very well be legitimate. Just because somebody's a blogger dosen't mean that they're innocent, and the court could have gotten the guy's IP if they really wanted to anyway. Besides, it's not like they're going to behead the guy if he's found guilty, and Israel's court system doesn't seem too dysfunctional. On a side note, however, it is a bit disconcerting that Google will give it away that easily. I can understand if they were asked by the court, but Google seems to be headed downhill.

  32. Easy solution by matt+me · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Google wouldn't be able to do such evil if it only stored the IP addresses of its users for immediate necessary use, and discarded them. Keeping data indefinitely, such that they can be reinterpreted and abused in ways unimaginable at the time , makes such problems as these likely.

  33. Tolerance can also mean second class treatment. by edgedmurasame · · Score: 1

    However, those practices stop when you object to them in any meaningful way (illegally built settlements, stirring the hornets nests around them) or encounter someone with a bad case of Checkpoint Syndrome. Yes, this means citizens as well.

    I wonder what would happen if there was a Pollard affair at Google, would it be prosecuted?

    --
    "Forget the engineers." -Carly Fiorina, briber of MIT Technology Review.
    1. Re:Tolerance can also mean second class treatment. by rossz · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Stirring the hornets nest? Sure, by simply existing. Israel has tried everything they could to bring peace with their neighbors. Their last attempt was giving up huge amounts of land they had taken in a war, thus pissing off lots of their own citizens. The result? Terrorists used the new lands to launch rockets at civilians.

      In the middle east, which countries can you openly practice your religion no matter what it is? Only one country, Israel. Which countries have full equal rights for women? Again, only Israel. Which countries have open and honest elections? Only Israel. Which countries are perfect? Ha, a trick question. Not a single one.

      --
      -- Will program for bandwidth
    2. Re:Tolerance can also mean second class treatment. by fohat · · Score: 2, Insightful

      In the middle east, which countries can you openly practice your religion no matter what it is? Only one country, Israel.
      You can even be openly Christian and live in Isreal, as long as you don't mind a little spit on your face

      I think the moral of this story is, if you don't have anything nice to say about someone on the internet, don't say anything at all.
      Fuckers.

      oops...
      --
      Is there heaven? Is there Hell? Is that a Tuna Melt I smell?-Primus
    3. Re:Tolerance can also mean second class treatment. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      Which countries have open and honest elections? Only Israel.

      Are the occupied Palestinians allowed to vote?
    4. Re:Tolerance can also mean second class treatment. by c6gunner · · Score: 0

      Such an obvious troll doesn't really deserve a response. Your energy would be much better utilized in defending Tibet.

    5. Re:Tolerance can also mean second class treatment. by tripmine · · Score: 0

      Lebanon isn't too bad either...

    6. Re:Tolerance can also mean second class treatment. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I feel the same way. Pity the Jordanian government never felt the need to recompense my family for the land they stole outside Jerusalem in 1948 (and yes, my family had been there for generations thank you very much).

      Forget "Hey they have a right to exist!", try "You greedy fuckers did this to yourself by trying to push them into the sea ... repeatedly!"

    7. Re:Tolerance can also mean second class treatment. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You are misinformed. There are other countries in the Middle East where you can practice your faith. The problems comes when a muslim converts to another religion. Not if the person belongs to that religion in the first place.

    8. Re:Tolerance can also mean second class treatment. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They gave up land they stole again, and not even all of it? Wow! Color me impressed!

    9. Re:Tolerance can also mean second class treatment. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      In the middle east, which countries can you openly practice your religion no matter what it is?

      Well, it used to be Iraq. Tariq Aziz was famously Catholic. But this has no doubt changed after the US got rid of the secularist government.

    10. Re:Tolerance can also mean second class treatment. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Which country is in UN violation for STEALING land from other people, and declaring themselves a country, even when they're not one? Israel.

      This game is fun...

    11. Re:Tolerance can also mean second class treatment. by rossz · · Score: 1

      You can even be openly Christian and live in Isreal, as long as you don't mind a little spit on your face


      Idiots exist everywhere.

      On the other hand, getting spit at is a hell of a lot preferable to being lashed a few hundred times or having your head cut off by the government. Since there seems to be a lot of idiocy on this subject, let me make it as clear as possible for the brainless fucktards posting anti-Israel propaganda. In Muslim countries, if you openly practice any other religion, there's a very good chance you will be killed. Sometimes by the government, sometimes by roving mobs of muslim fanatics who the government never seems to catch (funny how that always happens).

      A
      --
      -- Will program for bandwidth
  34. Think it was approved by Google's Mother Ship? by DrDitto · · Score: 1

    I doubt it...likely a local decision made at the local office in Israel. No doubt this Google manager is in for a shitstorm from the Mother Ship.

    1. Re:Think it was approved by Google's Mother Ship? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd bet this guy's life that the Mother Ship's legal department was well aware of this issue BEFORE the local office released the IP.

  35. Google (its Israeli subsidiary) by Comen · · Score: 1

    would that pronounced Goigle then?

    1. Re:Google (its Israeli subsidiary) by SnowZero · · Score: 1
    2. Re:Google (its Israeli subsidiary) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, it would be Giggle.

  36. So Google should break the law to not be evil? by LingNoi · · Score: 1

    You're kinda missing the point. You're saying Google should break Israel law to defend a criminal therefore becoming a criminal themselves.

    The first amendment only applys to the US and you have to understand that what is evil to you is different from what is evil to everyone else.

    Google refusing to co-orperate with a government that could throw all its employees in Jail because an idiot forgot to use Tor while breaking the laws of his country sounds quite evil to me.

    1. Re:So Google should break the law to not be evil? by iocat · · Score: 1

      No, I'm saying just the opposite. After RTFA, it seems Google WASN'T under a court order to comply. That's the actual point. If there's a court order, there's a court order. I wouldn't want some company violating the law, even if I disagreed with the law. But ABSENT a court order, I would like to think that Google would actually not go around showing people what's in my Gmail, what my IP address is, etc. To do differently violates (in my mind) their claimed "do no evil" policy.

      --

      Dude, I think I can see my house from here.

    2. Re:So Google should break the law to not be evil? by LingNoi · · Score: 1
      FTA

      Google initially said that disclosing the blogger's identity violated rulings on the balance between freedom of expression and a person's right to his reputation.

      However, in a pre-ruling, Judge Oren Schwartz said that the blog's content raised suspicions of criminal conduct, and Google took the hint.
      That seems pretty clear that Google tried to stand by their principles until the Judge gave them the "You're going to Jail if you don't do this", wink, wink. Not everywhere in the world is "to the letter" and "needs paper work". Some countries don't work like that.

      Even so the councilmen gave the guy three whole days to turn himself in and defend himself in court but he didn't. We can only suspect that he either didn't receieve the messages on time or we was running because he knew he was guilty.

      Yahoo on the otherhand gave the chinese government that anon bloggers home address without even trying to protect him, then lied about it. No one seems to call them evil even though they do a lot more worse things then Google does. I don't want to sidetrack the issue but this seems like "doing good in Israel", "Doing evil in freedom America" or "I want my lawless internets back".

      There is nothing stopping him from moving to a different country where the laws are less stricter and he can freely break the law of his own country.
    3. Re:So Google should break the law to not be evil? by c6gunner · · Score: 1

      Yahoo on the otherhand gave the chinese government that anon bloggers home address without even trying to protect him, then lied about it. No one seems to call them evil even though they do a lot more worse things then Google does.
      It's the usual double standard. When Iran executes a homosexual, most people don't say a word, because we expect that from them. On the other hand, when the US executes a cop-killer, tens of thousands of people protest, call the US evil, and generally act like idiots. This is the exact same mentality, only taken to the corporate world. Google gets singled out not because they're particularly bad, but because they have the gall to claim to be good.
  37. Nothing to complain about by AndrewM1 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    In this circumstance, the anonymous blogger has nothing to complain about. Despite the litany of "Do not evil, yeah right!" posts that are already becoming evident in this discussion, I think google did the least evil thing possible. An anonymous blogger was committing slander, which is a civil tort. Under the rules of any civilized legal system, the plaintiff has the right to go after someone who has unjustly slandered their name - this is especially true for politicians, whose very livelihood relies on their reputation. If this person lied to defame someone, they should certainly have the weight of the law come down upon them. Furthermore, all google did was give out the information on how to contact the blogger. This blogger will not be served with the lawsuit, and will have the opportunity to defend themselves. And all this after giving to blogger a, I would think, unnecessarily generous offer to contest the ruling anonymously. In short, I think that everything Google did throughout this process has been quite in keeping with their motto, and see this as a perfectly reasonable series of steps to take in accordance with their ethics and the law.

    1. Re:Nothing to complain about by humpy101 · · Score: 0

      How is your post modded insightful? It doesn't matter what the blogger did, Google was not required by law to provide the IP address, yet took it upon itself to do so.
      Since when are Google the police, or since when do they work for them?

      --
      Wherever you go There you are
  38. Due process of law. by EWAdams · · Score: 1

    This isn't like George Bush and the NSA doing an end-run around the Constitution, or Communist China. This was a legitimate judicial proceeding in a multi-party country that observes due process of law. The anonymity of the Internet is not a free pass to commit slander. Either defend your words or shut up.

    --
    I piss off bigots.
  39. I wouldnt be surprised to see Israel shareholders by edgedmurasame · · Score: 1

    I wonder how much stock Israel has in Google(all divisions), and how much their US based interests(AIPAC, ADL, parts of New York) hold as well.

    --
    "Forget the engineers." -Carly Fiorina, briber of MIT Technology Review.
  40. Seems like the right thing by Todd+Knarr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Fact: someone who's been wronged has a right to pursue the person responsible. No argument there. The fact that the person responsible is attempting to hide his identity doesn't change that. The problem with the RIAA's tactics is that they want the identity before proving they've been wronged. In this case the councilmen did the right thing: went into court, convinced a judge that the words as written did in fact qualify as something legally actionable, then asked for the identity of the responsible party. It might be technically more correct to wait until a final ruling, but I doubt the final ruling would be significantly different from the preliminary one. Judges don't just fire from the hip when making a preliminary ruling, it's more like "This will be how I rule, unless someone fairly quickly comes up with something that hasn't been even hinted at yet that's major enough to counter everything I've seen so far.".

    Sorry, guys, but contrary to popular belief the right to remain anonymous is not a shield against being held responsible for your statements and actions. It just means that the other party should have to prove that your statements or actions were in fact legally actionable before stripping you of your anonymity.

    1. Re:Seems like the right thing by cdrguru · · Score: 1

      No, according to the RIAA-happy folks, all the plantiff's lawyers have is an IP address. In no way does that equate to a person in any respect whatsoever. You cannot get a discovery motion against an IP address and if that is all you have, gee, that's too bad. No discovery. No lawsuit. Nothing.

      The key here is how does the IP address connect to "the real world?" If you accept the premise that an IP address cannot be connected to an individual only one or more computers you are stuck. Similarly, there might be a way out if it could be established that the "owner" of an account using an IP address was responsible either for everthing that happened or at the very least identifying the responsible party. Unfortunately, I do not believe this is part of any user agreement or policy of any ISP. At least not in a legally binding way. So having an IP address gets you... nothing.

      Of course, you might not like to live in a world where an IP address was impossible to connect to a person. What it means is there is utterly no accountability for anything online. Do we really like that?

    2. Re:Seems like the right thing by eh2o · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The plantiffs asked the court to mandate that Google hand over the IP. Then Google agreed to an out-of-court "settlement" where they provided the IP directly to the plantiff, based on a "hint" (TFA's words) from the judge that it was OK to do so.

      Now it seems likely that this was going to happen eventually, but why the rush? This blogger had been at it for an entire *year* already, and suddenly it becomes a 72-hour emergency? That makes no sense. Why not wait for the mandate and do the thing that is *technically* correct -- morally and legally unquestionable? Were there terms to the settlement that are undisclosed? Was there money involved? We will probably never know. The whole thing just looks bad, bad bad... I hope some heads roll at Google, because they screwed this one up in a big way.

    3. Re:Seems like the right thing by Todd+Knarr · · Score: 1

      Actually in the most common case an IP address does tie to a person. It ties to the owner of the Internet access account, who's most commonly the head of the household with legally-recognized ties to the other members of the household, especially minor children. This is a very different situation from, say, a college dorm where the people sharing a room and Internet access through a router have no legal relationship with each other. It may be the kid downloading the material rather than the parent whose name is on the account, but the parent's legally responsible for the majority of the kid's actions so liability would fall on their head either way. And no, you can't get a discovery motion against an IP address, but you can get a discovery motion against the owner of that IP address once you've proved that that owner has done something legally actionable and then use the court's authority to determine the identity of that owner.

      Note that this isn't anything particularly new. If someone makes a harrassing phone call to you, all you may have is their phone number. No court in the country will bat an eyelash at you if you come in with proof that calls from that number did constitute harassment and ask to find the identity of the person who owns that phone number so they can be brought into court, and no court is going to say that just because all you know is their phone number that you don't have a right to have them brought into court.

  41. this isn't about privacy. by timmarhy · · Score: 2, Insightful
    This is about some asshole thinking they can just slander anyone online and not have to own up to it.

    privacy isn't a platform you can use to attack other people.

    --
    If you mod me down, I will become more powerful than you can imagine....
    1. Re:this isn't about privacy. by geekoid · · Score: 1

      "privacy isn't a platform you can use to attack other people."

      Why not? beside the blogger didn't slander anyone.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  42. Hey, what about the fact that if it's Anonymous, by DRAGONWEEZEL · · Score: 1

    it has NO credibility? Why would this guy care if some anonymous jerk said that "he rapes any 5 year old he comes in contact with and kills kittens because he thinks it's cute?"

    Unless more than a few minor anonymous sources indicate the same exact thing, it falls under the sticks and stones rule.

    Words by people whom you don't know are worthless.

    --
    How much is your data worth? Back it up now.
  43. A good rule of thumb for media honesty by JewGold · · Score: 1

    There's an inverse relationship between how honest a company claims it is, and how honest it actually is.

    This is most evident in the worst offenders and propagandizers in the media world: Fox News' "Fair and Balanced," and CNN's "The most trusted name in news."

    With this in mind, Google's "Don't be evil" should set off alarm bells for anybody concerned with their privacy.

    --
    Is this a news report or a trailer for a motion picture?
  44. Re:Google is owned by the Rothschild family by statemachine · · Score: 1

    Except that Larry Page and Sergey Brin together hold the majority of voting shares. So while Larry and Sergey get credit for all the good, don't forget to give them the sole blame for the company's missteps.

  45. MOD PARENT UP! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Most interesting and factual post I've ever seen on /.

  46. Fine. Then turn Google transparent. by edgedmurasame · · Score: 1

    That would paint Google with the same brush. Excessively secretive, beholden to nondemocratic countries, and structured to withstand hostile takeover. It'd be nice to see what happens when their stock is flattened (no multiclass shares - 1 share, 1 vote) thanks to some help from DC.

    --
    "Forget the engineers." -Carly Fiorina, briber of MIT Technology Review.
  47. wth! by ezwip · · Score: 0

    I can't believe this. Let's all switch to uh... uh... uh...

    --
    "I guess I'm gonna fade into Bolivian."
  48. Re:hi, I'm non-white... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    review your patronage of companies that do business with Saudi Arabia, which forbids any exercise of non-Muslim religion? Yes - where did I say I wouldn't? Why the straw man? Even so:
    1. While freedom of non-coercive religion is a necessary part of freedom, it is not morally equivalent to absence of racist law: religion is always a choice, race is never a choice, so its justification requires a different philosophical argument. Consider the period of time for which the US codified one but not the other.
       
    2. It's Google that got big on "no evil", just as Israel has got big on being "the Western style democracy of the Middle East". I have yet to hear respective declarations from the Microsofts and Saudi Arabias of this world. The difference between a hypocrite and a man who is honest but evil is the scope of harm he can cause. The result of any ethical review I undertake before making trading decisions would thus take hypocrisy into account.

    It does discriminate OK, so it discriminates in law on the basis of race. It is racist. The fact that second-class citizens aren't forced into the military does not excuse this - Roman slaves were not forced by the state to go to war either. The fact that it's not Saudi Arabia does not excuse this - Israel is also not North Korea, it is not Cambodia under Pol Pot. But you do bring up another important example of Israel's anti-freedom: conscription.

    (Score: 4, Insightful) I hope that this was moderated for the way it honestly admitted that Israel is racist in law, and for the way it illustrates how people fallaciously mitigate the offence - not because it was seen to contain valid justification. "Look, look over there, something else bad is going on! No, stop looking at us, no-one's perfect! We do good stuff do!" are never justifications for anything.
  49. Deja vu? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Remember the olden days when Microsoft was upstart and everyone fawned over it. IBM was the evil empire. Well, the tide is officially turning. Who can we cheer for now?

  50. Re:Google is owned by the Rothschild family by ObsessiveMathsFreak · · Score: 1

    And Google Mars is really secret Rothschild initiative to wrest the planet from the control of the Stonemasons!

    It all makes sense now!

    --
    May the Maths Be with you!
  51. Re:Hey, what about the fact that if it's Anonymous by MikeBabcock · · Score: 1

    The old "sticks and stones" rhyme is crap and always was, sorry to inform you. Words are much more damaging to most people in the long term than sticks or stones. Most people would rather get a punch in the arm than be called fat, or ugly, or be accused of being a rapist of small children in your example.

    I don't know where some people get off believing their right to anonymous speech exists at all, especially in other countries as I'm betting most complainants here are western european or american.

    Even though you may have a right to anonymous voting or other anonymous dealings /with government/, you'll have a hard time finding that right in law with respect to your dealings with fellow citizens. Also note, slander is slander and libel is libel, 'sticks and stones' is not a valid legal defense, anonymous or not.

    --
    - Michael T. Babcock (Yes, I blog)
  52. What was did the Actually Blogger Say? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Here in the U.S. (well hopefully) we are entitled due process of law.

    I didn't see the bloggers quote about the public official or any other evidence supporting "Slander" other than "The System/Public Figure's Accusations". (For all I know he said the guys beard was to short.) So still I am waiting for evidence and even then I need context. I don't really give any government prosecutor the benefit of the doubt since I have been exposed to reality.

    Sorry, Still Waiting and I RTA...

  53. Obligatory by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    IP

    UP

    We all P

    on IP

  54. Genocide. by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 0, Flamebait
    Stirring the hornets nest? Sure, by simply existing. Israel has tried everything they could to bring peace with their neighbors.

    Eh? Does cluster bombing, bulldozing houses, and shooting children appear on that list? (All strictly condemned by the Geneva Convention). --Not to mention staged 'terrorist' attacks which seem to happen with predictable regularity right when peace talks are about to commence. Who do such actions help? Starving Palestinians or genocidal Zionists who describe Palestinians as dogs. . ? I can't seem to find it anymore online, (surprise, surprise), but I recall an incident from a couple of years back where a Palestinian child was drugged and rigged with bombs and then sent off toward a checkpoint. And the media had been alerted beforehand so that they could have their cameras running when the boy arrived. That's a curious way to conduct a terrorist war against your oppressors. --It would prove that the Palestinians were animals who deserved punishment. Are freedom fighters that consistently stupid? Apparently so, if you believe the propaganda. Unfortunately, the stunt went badly, and the boy was whisked away before he could tell anybody who had drugged him. The Mossad fumbles like this from time to time. --Another favorite was when a number of 'home-made' rockets being fired from 'Palestine' into urban Jewish neighborhoods turned out to have been launched from within an Israeli military base and used parts which had been procured from within the military. Oops! But the world has been so frightened of being labeled 'anti-semitic' that they turn a blind eye.

    I have no problem with Jews in the same way I have no problem with Americans. But their psychopathic governments are another story. Genocide is underway right now now with many dozens of Palestinian deaths every week, with over a million jammed into a 25 mile by 5 mile wide concentration camp. And let's not forget. . . This was land stolen from an indigenous population based on thin arguments using biblical texts of all things as their rational foundation! Only religious nuts believe in that nonsense, unless of course, it serves their political ends.


    -FL

    1. Re:Genocide. by c6gunner · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Genocide is what would occur if you took the Israeli arsenal, and gave it to Palestine.

      And you, sir, are in idiot.

    2. Re:Genocide. by evil_aar0n · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Land "stolen"? Land taken in a defensive war does not qualify as "stolen" in my book. When you get your ass handed to you - especially by a smaller guy - in a fight you started, you don't have the right to ask for your dignity back. Oh, and you won't hear it in the popular press, but a lot of "stolen" land was actually sold freely by Arabs to Jewish folks.

      And, ya know, the "refugee" problem could be solved right-quick if the other Arab countries gave a damn about the plight of said refugees. Israel is about the size of New Jersey, and shrinking, because of continued - wasted - concessions. Any one of those larger Arab countries in the region could spare enough land to give the refugees a place to live. But, according to Arab logic, it's better to keep these people as refugees, placing international pressure on Israel to keep bending over backward - maybe they'll eventually create a mobius strip? - creating generation after generation of Arabs hostile to the mere existence of Israel, than to actually fix the problem.

      This is far from a wholesale endorsement of Israel; they're not perfect, either. But, a quick question - in which country would you rather live: Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, or Syria? You're less likely to have your lifeless body dragged through the streets, while your murderers dance around with your blood literally on their hands, in Israel than in any of the other countries.

      And, no, I'm not Jewish.

      --
      Truth, Justice. Or the American Way.
    3. Re:Genocide. by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 1
      Genocide is what would occur if you took the Israeli arsenal, and gave it to Palestine.

      And you, sir, are in idiot.


      Um. . . That's a highly simplified piece of nonsense to be clinging to when the actual reality happening right now is that kids are having their brains splattered on pavement by Israeli soldiers. If you want to call me an idiot, you need to also pony up some logical rational which doesn't come from a can.

      Surely, if you're smarter than me, then you can offer something more than name-calling and sound-bite dogma. What part of my post did you not agree with and why?


      -FL

    4. Re:Genocide. by c6gunner · · Score: 1

      I hold no delusions about my ability to educate you. In order for me to get through to you, you would need to be living in a universe that closely resembles our own reality. Unfortunately, all indications seem to point to you currently spending most of your time frolicking with the pink unicorns of planet Bedzulbeebub. If you consider the current Israeli response to be a "genocide", you are certainly "special" in many ways, but not in the kind of way which will allow you to understand the real meaning of the word "genocide". Talk to Romeo Dellaire about genocide, and see what he has to say on the subject.

      Chances are you're simply a Jew-hating turd who won't be happy until Israel is wiped off the earth. If that's the case, then I'd refuse to talk to you based on principle alone. Or it may be that you are merely a poorly informed college kid who has been exposed to too much anti-Israeli propaganda. If THAT is the case then there is deffinitely some possibility that you may one day see the truth, but it won't occur while you're stuck in the sterile halls of academia.

      Whatever the case, I know from past experience that there is nothing I can do which will change your mind on this issue. People who make statements about the "genocide" of the Palestinian people, and mean it, aren't making their judgements based on any sort of rational analysis of the available data. They are making their assessments based on emotions and feelings, rumours and empty rhetoric. The ONLY way to arrive at your conclusion is by ignoring all of the available data, and all common sense, so what point is there for me to attempt to engage you in rational discourse?

    5. Re:Genocide. by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 1
      Land "stolen"? Land taken in a defensive war does not qualify as "stolen" in my book. When you get your ass handed to you - especially by a smaller guy - in a fight you started, you don't have the right to ask for your dignity back. Oh, and you won't hear it in the popular press, but a lot of "stolen" land was actually sold freely by Arabs to Jewish folks.

      ????

      So, correct me if I'm wrong here, but you're saying that it's okay to invade a country and take it for yourself so long as you win? --And that this is not 'stealing'? Is 'occupation' a better word?

      And how exactly, if I am indeed interpreting you correctly here, did the Palestinians start this fight? I thought it was the Germans. --Or are you one of those bible-text people?

      And, ya know, the "refugee" problem could be solved right-quick if the other Arab countries gave a damn about the plight of said refugees. Israel is about the size of New Jersey, and shrinking, because of continued - wasted - concessions. Any one of those larger Arab countries in the region could spare enough land to give the refugees a place to live.

      Sooo. . , by this same logic, if the Israeli army went to Belgium and occupied that country - and put all the Belgians in a giant concentration camp, then the responsibility for the suffering is not Israel's, but rather it's France's for not taking the refugees? Ah. It's so clear now. Oh, and unless I'm terribly mistaken, I don't believe that any of the countries you mentioned are refusing to allow Palestinians into their countries, which makes the whole point moot.

      This is far from a wholesale endorsement of Israel; they're not perfect, either. But, a quick question - in which country would you rather live: Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, or Syria? You're less likely to have your lifeless body dragged through the streets, while your murderers dance around with your blood literally on their hands, in Israel than in any of the other countries.

      I thought we were talking about Palestine. How did Iran and Saudi Arabia and Syria get into this? Or are you also one of those gents who thinks that by pointing at other people they can justify their own atrocities? Guess what; It doesn't work that way. Especially since Israel is killing more people by far than any of those three nations combined. --Or are we only counting people with white skin here?

      I'm not 100% sure yet, but I'm beginning to think that you might be a sick fuck. Please offer something to dissuade me of this notion.


      -FL

    6. Re:Genocide. by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Chances are you're simply a Jew-hating turd who won't be happy until Israel is wiped off the earth. If that's the case, then I'd refuse to talk to you based on principle alone.

      Wrong. Half my friends are Jews. I think I stated already - no, I KNOW I stated it already, but just for you, I'll do it again; I have no problem at all with Jews in exactly the same way I don't have any problem with Americans. But their psychotic governments are a different matter altogether. There. Let that sink in. --Just because I am criticizing a government for killing civilians en masse, it does not make me anti-Semitic. Why is that so hard for people to grasp? The 'anti-Semite' card is getting very old and very tired.

      The ONLY way to arrive at your conclusion is by ignoring all of the available data, and all common sense, so what point is there for me to attempt to engage you in rational discourse?

      I've known IDF soldiers who came back to the West to laugh about getting high and killing people. Maybe they were an extreme example, but their accounts were certainly hair-raising in a, 'these guys are really scary' kind of way. --And if theirs was an accurate indication of some of the forces moving within the Israeli military and government, then it is very hard to take Israel's stated innocence in the media at face value.

      As for my ignoring all available data? Hm. Even CNN covered the wall which Israel put up, so I didn't miss that fact. Then there's the armed check points; those are in the main-stream news (i.e., pro-Israeli-spun news, it should always be remembered), so I didn't miss those facts either. The confiscation of land is well known. The recent bull-dozing of civilian houses and orchards is less well known, but the footage is plentiful, so I'm not missing those points. The imprisonment and starvation of an entire population on the Gaza Strip. . , well nobody likes to talk about that much or use those terms, but those facts are also freely available, so they can't be the facts you're referring to. --And of course, the on-going bombing raids and the shootings and the general killing of civilians through the use of a highly advanced and extremely well-equipped military. What facts am I missing here?

      Just because genocides in the past have been more sudden and abrupt does not mean that there is not a deliberate and systematic campaign to destroy an entire people going on; a campaign which has a measurable and regular body count; more facts. --And you suggest that I am the one with race hatred? Hm. It is an interesting fact, (and yes, this is another fact), that the abuser, particularly the sociopathic abuser will accuse the victim of the very abuses they themselves are guilty of.

      But then, you are telling me I don't know what I'm talking about. Maybe that's true. However, maybe your facts are the ones which are not accurate. Maybe you're the one who is buying into propaganda. Have you considered that before? And assuming you have considered this, what did you base your (clearly) negative conclusion on?


      -FL

    7. Re:Genocide. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You voted for Bush, didn't you? If not, you sure are doing a great impression of a narrow-minded, willfully ignorant zealot.

      I'd rather not live in any of the countries you listed. The reason I care so deeply (and this is my first post in the thread, btw) about Israeli policy towards Palestinians is because I don't want to have to worry that my family or myself will fall victim to some jackasses, driven by desperate rage against Israel and its Western backers, again sailing jets into buildings across the street from where I work. Twerp.

    8. Re:Genocide. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Personally, I'd rather live in Lebanon or Jordan.

      It's also worth mentioning that Israel is the only one of all these countries known definitively to have nuclear weapons and to be actively pursuing aquisition and development of weapons of mass destruction.

    9. Re:Genocide. by evil_aar0n · · Score: 1

      Your reply tells me that you a) can't understand simple English, and b) like to twist things around in ways they weren't meant. Essentially, you're a pig. I'm not going to bother teaching you to sing.

      --
      Truth, Justice. Or the American Way.
    10. Re:Genocide. by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 1
      Your reply tells me that you a) can't understand simple English, and b) like to twist things around in ways they weren't meant. Essentially, you're a pig. I'm not going to bother teaching you to sing.

      A) You'd have to write in simple English to measure that. I admit I had to struggle to understand what the heck you were saying in a couple of cases, which is why I littered my response with a healthy number of, "if I am reading this correctly"s and "Correct me if I'm wrong"s. I can assure you, my reading comprehension is quite good. The one sending the communication is just as much a part of the transaction, and you rang up a bit of a debt.

      B) The only thing I twisted around was a mirror so you could see yourself and what you were saying.

      Essentially I'm a pig? Nice closing argument. Now here's mine: You are wrong, delusional and dangerous. You support the mass murder of civilians. What more can possibly be said?


      -FL

    11. Re:Genocide. by rossz · · Score: 1

      you're saying that it's okay to invade a country and take it for yourself so long as you win?


      What part of defensive war did you not understand.

      Go back to whatever second rate college you graduated from and demand your money back. You were robbed.
      --
      -- Will program for bandwidth
  55. Re:SLASHDOT SUX0RZ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Your subject line must be right if we've sunk to the level of copy-paste goatse. Depressing.

  56. Big business, big money. by Neanderthal+Ninny · · Score: 1

    Just like Yahoo they bent over for the local government. I used to work for a large international corporation and to do business in some countries you need to agree to some rules they have and it is for the international lawyers to hash out the details since some major ideas like womens rights, child labor, etc can be written agreement for that country but it is the details that are hard to get at like who is a child (ie. under 16 years old or 18 years old?). We cannot go to another country to "mock" their laws also like the of that kid call Michael Fay who 1994 "tagged" cars in Singapore which is a punishable crime.... boy I wish we had a law like that here to rid of all that spray paint junk on the walls here. http://www.gadling.com/2007/11/13/remember-michael-fey-does-caning-sound-familiar/. Nevertheless human rights are universal so we should respect human rights first and foremost and then take each countries laws into account next.

  57. Re:Hey, what about the fact that if it's Anonymous by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

    Hey, what about the fact that if it's Anonymous, it has NO credibility? Why would this guy care if some anonymous jerk said that "he rapes any 5 year old he comes in contact with and kills kittens because he thinks it's cute?"
    Because quite a few people, including employers, potential employers, relatives, and a large percentage of the "general public" do buy what random anonymous bloggers say. It does make a difference.

    And remember, they are not "random anonymous bloggers", they are "journalists".

    --
    If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
  58. Ok, sure by foreverdisillusioned · · Score: 1, Insightful

    tell me why Google should ignore criminal abuse of its networks and services.

    Because if it were truly criminal, a judge could say so and issue a subpoena.

    tell me why someone shouldn't have the right to ask Google for help in the prosecution of a crime.

    They do. It's called a subpoena. If Google Israel truly respected their customer's rights, they would simply wait for a subpoena. Also, slander/libel isn't typically considered a crime--though the summary says it "probably" was in this case, I can't see how this would ever be a good idea. Malicious/harmful lies are torts and are punishable by civil law--not by people with guns knocking you to the ground, tasering you, dragging you off and locking up up with violent criminals.

    tell me when "the right to privacy" became a right to injure others anonymously - safe from any consequences.

    As someone else has already said, any reasonable person should judge that no harm was done. Anonymous slander/libel by definition is completely frivolous and unbelievable. Look, watch:

    GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, RAPES BABIES! HE RAPES THEM UNTIL THEY BLEED TO DEATH AND THEN EATS THEIR CORPSES WITH A SIDE ORDER OF FAVA BEANS!

    Now, you see, who here believes me? No one, obviously, because I'm just another vulgar, anonymous, raving lunatic on the internet. With very few exceptions, anonymous slander doesn't cause significant damage in today's rumor-jaded world. The Israeli politician in this case should have to prove that someone actually took the anonymous blogger seriously, and that person somehow took harmful action against himself. Even if he could, I still don't think this should possibly be considered a crime.

    1. Re:Ok, sure by lelitsch · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Now, you see, who here believes me? No one, obviously, because I'm just another vulgar, anonymous, raving lunatic on the internet. With very few exceptions, anonymous slander doesn't cause significant damage in today's rumor-jaded world John McCain has a baby out of wedlock. WITH A BLACK WOMAN!

      Now, you see, who here believes that? No one, obviously, because it's from just another vulgar, anonymous, raving lunatic on the internet. With very few exceptions, anonymous slander doesn't cause significant damage in today's rumor-jaded world.
    2. Re:Ok, sure by foreverdisillusioned · · Score: 1

      The onus is (or should be) still on the slander-ee to prove that harm was done.

      And there's a difference between a live person talking to you one-on-one on the telephone and yet another drivel-spouting blogger. A person's voice is considerably less anonymous and more personal than a random bit of unverified text drifting in an ocean of crap.

    3. Re:Ok, sure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's called a subpoena. ...in the US. Do you have any knowledge to suggest that Israeli law is based on US law, and does not have its own customs and procedures?

      We need information, not extrapolation based on a shaky assumption about their laws.
    4. Re:Ok, sure by dotancohen · · Score: 1

      Malicious/harmful lies are torts and are punishable by civil law--not by people with guns knocking you to the ground, tasering you, dragging you off and locking up up with violent criminals. That's Canada. We're talking about Israel here.
      --
      It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
    5. Re:Ok, sure by PHPfanboy · · Score: 1

      Israeli law is based on:
      1) British Law - from the pre-1948 mandate period
      2) Turkish Law - from before 1917, mainly to do with land registration and ownership
      3) Jewish Law - from post-1948 mainly to do with public holidays and family stuff (marriage, divorce etc...)

      Then there's stuff which goes on in the West Bank which is nominally administered by the Army when they can be bothered to do anything.

      --
      29 mpg. YMMV.
  59. Ok, ok, how about... by jon287 · · Score: 1

    ...don't be evil MOST of the time.

    --
    To boldly use to and too two times and get it right too! They're not gonna believe their eyes when they see it there!
  60. Re.double entendre and dichotomy by nephridium · · Score: 1

    I tend to see it the way you do. But we have to keep in mind, that the premise is that people do take steps to verify the sources etc. - Unfortunately, the way things are now, only a small percentage has this sort of mindset. Many people have no problem trusting a source with perceived or established authority (although not necessarily informed or truthful) even up to the point of believing a lie. We have seen this so often in history (quite recently, too). I believe dishonesty needs to be prosecuted - in meatspace, that is. Dishonesty leads to corruption which is never good for society.

    Only considering cyberspace though, rules are quite different. People can be anonymous (to the average user) - this has to be taken into account when reading things on a medium where truthiness is naturally harder to evaluate. This is great, because it creates potential for many people to bind together and communicate unrestricted to pursue a common goal, thereby giving them a much needed tool to fight authoritarianism. The fact that this 'common goal' might not correspond with the plans the governments have gives them the hibby jibbies and thusly they will restrict media access and crack down on free flow of information like this.

    --


    And when you gaze long enough into the code, the code will also gaze into you.
  61. Re:Google is owned by the Rothschild family by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You are still not thinking. Yes, LP + SB control the majority of the voting shares. This, in effect, makes an ostensibly public company completely privately managed. There will be no shareholder referendums, no one to rock the boat. This closely held control is by design. No other public company in recent history has been able to get such a closely held secretive set of corporate bylaws approved. But Google did.

    The stock wealth of LP + SB and others is controlled by the parties that run the stock market. A few strongly negative reports and Google's stock price would tumble. A few large sell-offs coincident with the negative reports would erase much of Larry's and Sergey's wealth overnight. And this is the "nice" stuff when it comes to control. The same family that had the entire Romanov family murdered in cold blood (and stole billions of their gold) is not going to have any issue with a couple geeks. One "accident" on the Google plane and there is a place for more obedient executives.

    This is why Google does as Google is told. It is owned without too much of an appearance of being owned. It is how the real system works.

  62. Time limit to short. by Jartan · · Score: 1

    The time limit is too short but it sounds like in principle he had a better chance than anyone who's IP is given up to the RIAA. Of course that could just be your basic "yea you can object but we'll ignore your objection".

    I'm a little alarmed at how much of this stuff seems to revolve around IP's lately though personally. I wonder how many innocent people are going to have to get burned before these legal types learn what a trojan is. I hope in cases of more serious criminal activity that a little more care is taken in regards to cyber forensics. Somehow I fear I wouldn't be happy with the answer though.

  63. Public Terminal? by chaney · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Has anyone considered the fact that this person may have been using a public terminal rather than using a home computer? That how I leave all my slanderous comments about people. =] -Chaney

  64. Don't Be Evil by orgelspieler · · Score: 1

    Even more proof that Google is evil!!

  65. Sergey in Congressional Testimony by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Senator:You maybe the Preisdent of a 200 Billion Dollar Company, but have no sense of ......

    Sergey:Hangs his head in shame and appologizes.

  66. Re: "Anonymous has no weight"? by TaoPhoenix · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Modified weight, maybe.

    But an entire class of people who fall prey to groupthink don't care that a gossip seed was originally "anonymous". It's tantalizing, and once they tell the story enough time themselves, they decide it's true by default.

    When anonymous is combined with permitted lies, social structure breaks down because it opens the way for people to accuse each other of saying it. Trolling indeed.

    --
    My first Journal Entry ever, in 8 years! http://slashdot.org/journal/365947/aphelion-scifi-fantasy-horror-poetry-webzine
  67. Re:hi, I'm non-white... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes, a good question. I want to know if those critical of Israel will do business with a country that ordered 6 month jail and 90 lashes to a rape victim for being in a car with non male relative, then upon appeal upped the lashes to 200 for talking to the media. A country that routinely seizes the Bibles at airports and shreds them. And so on. The truth is Israel gets a lot of flack while countries like Sudan which doesn't lift a finger to stop a genocide get a pass.

  68. Re:Google is owned by the Rothschild family by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 2, Informative
    Google is owned by the Rothschild family. You won't see it directly, but if you look at the list of proxy owners, it is clear. This family owns Israel as well (bought it from the British) and controls the Mossad. It is a condition of Google's success that all Google data -- and I do mean ALL -- is made available to agents of the Rothschild family, i.e. Mossad in Israel. A reasonably sized portion of illegal Rothschild money is laundered through Google via ad sales (which put the marble business to shame). This is similar to how drug money from the British royal family is laundered through Microsoft -- what do you think Billy G. got that knighthood for? It is quite simple for any company that is part of the stock index to launder money and there are even "national security" laws which specifically allow for "off the books" transactions that make the entire process work quite effectively.


    Well, I did a couple of hours of searching around, and I was only able to pin down the following. . .

    Two capital investment firms did most of the early funding for Google. Sequoia Capital Investments pitched in 12.5 million for a 10% share in Google's pre-IPO development, and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers bought another 10% at the same price at the same time. They each made about 4.5 billion when Google went public.

    It is interesting to note that Eugene Kleiner himself was one of the founders of Fairchild Semiconducter, which was originally funded by the Sherman Fairchild, one of those ominously, creepily way-too-wealthy guys whose endless portfolio of companies has heavy ties to the Military Industrial Complex as well as banking. It is also noteworthy that Kleiner's board members include both Colin Powell and Al Gore. (Weird mix there.) --But for all of that, they only had a 10% share of Google, much of which was later divested for tidy profits. So that doesn't seem like much of a means to control Google's board unless there were some private agreements made in the beginning, but that's neither here nor there.

    Sequoia, by contrast, as of 2005 had retained all 10% of their investment. They also hold about 30% of YouTube, so Google's purchase of that kept the money in-house, so to speak and benefited them. But even still, they have nowhere near any controlling interest in Google.

    The other big investor in Google in the beginning was Andy Bechtolsheim, co-founder of Sun Microsystems. He put $100,000 into the startup, but I haven't been able to find out how much of Google he owns as a result of that, if any. Wikipedia called the cash a 'donation', but I wasn't able to confirm that. Also, I don't know if this is relevant, but Bill Joy, another of Sun's founders became a Kleiner partner in 2005, for whatever that's worth.

    The rest of the controlling ownership appears to sit heavily with Google's original founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

    I wasn't able to find the Rothschild connection you describe. Is there some part of this story that I'm missing?


    -FL

  69. Re:hi, I'm non-white... by powerlord · · Score: 1

    Yes, a good question. I want to know if those critical of Israel will do business with a country that ordered 6 month jail and 90 lashes to a rape victim for being in a car with non male relative, then upon appeal upped the lashes to 200 for talking to the media. A country that routinely seizes the Bibles at airports and shreds them. And so on. The truth is Israel gets a lot of flack while countries like Sudan which doesn't lift a finger to stop a genocide get a pass.


    The enemies of the Sudanese don't have deep pockets filled from selling Oil to the West.
    --
    This space for rent. All reasonable inquiries will be entertained at proprietors discretion.
  70. There was court order by UrKHeH · · Score: 1

    There is a little mistake. Google did sent the blogger request to "show himself" and when he did not answer they had a court order on their hands. So, Google is not as evil as described here.

    1. Re:There was court order by Chili-71 · · Score: 1

      Even if Google isn't "evil", do you really want Google to store your personal data. Slash dot article: http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/11/27/1313259

      NOT ME!

  71. Sheesh! Libel's written. Slander's spoken by Rockin'Robert · · Score: 0

    Apparently:
    journalists,
    lawyers and
    the courts -
    are so dumbed down now
    no one knows what means what.

    RE: i believe that slander, libel, defamation, etc are... perhaps outdated concepts.
    I would expect no less from a fascist wife beater like yourself.

    Would a fascist dare beat his wife liberally?

    RR
    I don't care how you (treat, beat or) mod me, just as long as you do.

  72. oh so many... by thebigbadme · · Score: 1

    evil fucking corporations.....

    do we at least get lube this time around?

    --
    "It's the Law of the Universe, and I'm the sheriff." Slash-cott 2/10-2/17
  73. Re:Google is owned by the Rothschild family by PHPfanboy · · Score: 1

    You write such well-drafted shit. Rothschilds as controllers of all the world's wealth and string-pulling bankers is very old anti-semitic material. Yes, like all bankers, the Rothschilds funded Rulers whims, which during the 1800's frequently meant wars (yes, wars were primarily economic in basis).

    To say they "own" Israel is rubbish, there were numerous (mainly agricultural) investments by the Rothschilds in pre-state Palestine, many of which went bankrupt and were in frequent conflict with the socialist workers who worked there. The family foundations are still involved in nefarious activities such as upkeep of a large park outside of Zichron Yaakov, a donation for the Knesset building and more. Wow, creepy shit.

    To say that this largely broken up and now largely not-technically-Jewish family is the global puppeteer makes great theatre, but says more about you than anything else. Touching how you managed to self-censor words like Illuminati, Freemasons and Lizards to keep your karma up.

    --
    29 mpg. YMMV.
  74. Re:Google is owned by the Rothschild family by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

    It's good that you managed to write so much without using phrases like "Zionist occupational government", "Jews" or "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" that might tip people off that you're a complete nutter.

    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  75. Local article in English by shayz2002 · · Score: 1

    Here's the article in an Israeli newspaper in English.

    http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3476401,00.html

    I'm not a lawyer, but is seems they could take this to a higher court.
    Lately I've been reading about a new law proposition to make the newspaper liable to any offending talkback , so the way the things are going is not to allow people to hide behind their words.

  76. Re:Three days isn't nearly long enough Email summo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Never put in an e-mail something that you would not want overheard in a pub.

    Sending a summons by e-mail is stupid.

  77. "No Court Order?" by rsantmann · · Score: 1

    It says here that Google was forced to hand over the IP... "Following the 72 hour period, Google was ordered to hand over the IP address to the court. Google was represented by Adv. Keren Beer and Adv. Hagit Blaiberg of Goldfarb, Levy, Eran, Meiri & Co. and the councilmen were represented by Adv. Ben Zion Adoram and Tomer Altus of Adoram & Co."

  78. Riverbend by Arancaytar · · Score: 1

    I'm glad again that Riverbend is out of Iraq now after anonymously using Blogger for four years. Considering the danger that revealing her IP would have entailed is pretty frightening.

    This also means that, evil or not, we should rely on Google at most for easy access to information, not for our privacy. Bloggers in countries with dangerous censorship laws rather need to be informed about and able to access anonymizing services like Tor.

  79. Google is lying. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There were two articles on this subject. http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200711/1196195189.htm http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200711/1196252781.html The people with the inside knowledge of the Israeli judicial system tell us that this low level judge was picked not for his legal abilities, but for the connections with the plaintiffs.

  80. Re:hi, I'm non-white... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Figured out where you hit a problem. Its a common misconception.

    Israel isn't trying to be "the Western style Democracy of the Middle East". That's just how the West likes to view it, since anything else (including most of the Dictatorships in the region) are too foreign a form of government for most of the Western people in the world.

    Its a Theocracy with a Parliamentary Based Legislature.

  81. Re:hi, I'm non-white... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Israel isn't trying to be "the Western style Democracy of the Middle East". You're quite right, it's not trying to be. But it's trying to give the impression that it is, whence the impression of its supporters (witness most of the posts in this thread). The majority of the Middle East are quite happy to speak up against Western values, but I've yet to hear the Israeli government or its advocacy groups in the West make an effort to correct this "misunderstanding".

    anything else (including most of the Dictatorships in the region) are too foreign a form of government for most of the Western people What do you mean by "too foreign"? If North Korea, say, is "too foreign" to perceive, because it differs so much from the USA, wouldn't any judgment on North Korea be necessarily useless? Humans do not need to experience something to gain a good understanding of it. Regardless, Europe's had a share of variety in government - I'm Spanish on my father's side, and we only saw Franco die in 1975.

    It's a Theocracy with a Parliamentary Based Legislature. That's pretty much what Iran is; differences emerge in detail, of course: who is allowed to vote? who is allowed to be a candidate? Many democracies suffer from the "two sides of the same coin" problem, so what governs the nation is whatever passes as its philosophical basis, written or otherwise - Israel, as you say, is a Theocracy; the USA has its Constitution; England has a whole heap of principle and protocol which makes them into some mostly free social democracy.

    Consider the repeated "Iran stones women"-style complaint in this thread. This is a symptom of the problem, and telling Iran that it should stop stoning women will not solve the underlying disease that creates similar laws and denies freedom - which, as you hint, is Theocracy. Theocracy is the rule of men - i.e. rule by men - using the justification of "God". Israel clings to precisely the same irrational anti-Western justifications.

    N.B. I avoid blaming "religion" in the same way I avoid blaming guns - only sentient beings can be blamed for any decision-making process. The fault lies in the men who have chosen to use the gun as they do.
  82. Re:hi, I'm non-white... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The truth is Israel gets a lot of flack while countries like Sudan which doesn't lift a finger to stop a genocide get a pass. Get a pass? This discussion is about Israel, not about Sudan. Or are you asserting a general moral principle that it's ok to do something bad as long as someone else is doing something worse? Let's try applying this principle to another example:

    Prima: Joe brutally raped my mother. He should be held in prison for life!

    Secunda: Yes, Joe did an awful thing. Society should be protected from him, at least until one can be certain that he is rehabilitated.

    Tercera: I want to know if those critical of Joe will visit Cuba, a country that denies its citizens access to the same glorious resorts and healthcare that it puts on show for tourists, not even paying them in convertible currency. A country that routinely imprisons journalists as anti-revolutionaries. And so on. The truth is that Joe gets a lot of flack while oppressive tyrants like Fidel Castro get a pass.

    Can't you see the insanity in your argument?
  83. Outsourcing College E-Mail by artgeeq · · Score: 1

    Does anyone see a connection between this story and the previous post about outsourcing college e-mail? If Google can give up an IP address, then what else can it give up?

  84. Re:Hey, what about the fact that if it's Anonymous by DRAGONWEEZEL · · Score: 1

    I guess my point was more to the effect of why throw so much energy to an "anonymous" source?
    I agree that the sticks and stones rule is junk, but if someone I don't know, who obviously doesn't know me, or just drew my name out of a hat full of politicians and started spouting off crap, I would assume it is a plant from an opposing party.

    Slander happens all the time, and while wrong (I DO think it's wrong) If you put credit into all anonymous slander it's similar to fearing a terrorist attack, it just fuels the fire, then the slanderer wins.

    --
    How much is your data worth? Back it up now.
  85. Slander... by TheRealZeus · · Score: 0

    because, fuck freedom of speech!

  86. Google rollin rollin rollin! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Given the speed and ease by which google seems to turn over IP info (not even a court order). I have to ask what individual or company is daft enough to trust their files, videos etc to gDrive (or whatever it gets called).
    After all once all your files are in one place its just a "One stop shop" for every RIAA MPAA etc that has a good lawyer.

  87. Actually, they were ordered to by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you read the actual details, they *were* ordered to by a court when the blogger failed to contest the ruling.
    See, e.g., google's response at http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/27/google-voluntarily-provides-details-of-anonymous-blogger-in-israel/

    This looks like just a bad translation of israeli news sources, which make it clear this is the first time google has been *ordered* to turn over an ip address of a blogger in israel.

  88. Google = Charlie the Unicorn by jhRisk · · Score: 1

    Beware of wolves in sheeps clothing. This is Google http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhu9ORveuo4&feature=related and shit I'm not going to Candy Mountain.

    --
    That's just my POV... no more, no less.
  89. Re:Google is owned by the Rothschild family by davidsyes · · Score: 1

    "...that Kleiner's board members include both Colin Powell and Al Gore. (Weird mix there.)"

    Weird Al, Yankovic....

    Knighthood... They way the company runs all over smaller ones, how could anyone NOT be forgiven thinking of the "knight" as a "hood"(lum), ehhehehehe

    --
    Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
  90. Not correct. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Fact: someone who's been wronged has a right to pursue the person responsible."

    define 'wronged'? If I draw a picture of mohamed, then many people will feel I 'wronged' them and set out to kill me.

        Q /|\ ----- Mohamed
      _|_

    So now they have a right to kill me?

    "Judges don't just fire from the hip when making a preliminary ruling,"
    Perhap you should ahve more experience with judges from that part of the world, eh?

  91. Israeli Law by scubamage · · Score: 1

    I have to wonder about Israeli law. See, everyone is looking at this stating "there was no court order." Well, does Israeli law stipulate you need a court order? Given that the Israelis are prone to forcefully remove people from their homes at gunpoint for the sake of zionist colonization, and are also known to organize their citizens in what could be considered a caste system (Israeli colonists at the top, Palastinian Israelis at the middle, Palastinians at the very bottom), I don't think they'd care too much about court orders.

    1. Re:Israeli Law by jdtch · · Score: 1

      What does the fact that the Israeli government removed settlers ("colonists") at gunpoint do for your caste theory?

    2. Re:Israeli Law by scubamage · · Score: 1

      Israel as a country is less than 100 years old (barely 50 years old actually). After WWII the British and Americans basically took land from Palastine and said "Ok, we declare this Israel." The original Zionist settlers went into that area. However they refused to stay within the alloted borders and began forcefully removing peoples who were living in bordering areas. This led to a UN Resolution in 1967 which basically stated that Israel was not permitted to expand beyond its current borders. Israel to this day has not listened to this, and any time any sort of reprimand hits the floor in the UN it is veto'd by the US government's UN Security Council veto. I was not talking about "settlers" being removed at gunpoint, the settlers are the ones doing the removing. All in all, a country with as little concern about human rights as Israel, who basically imposes a caste system (for instance, people are color coded according to license plates on their vehicles, only certain colors are allowed through checkpoints, others are only allowed in certain sections of cities, etc), I don't see caring too much for things like search and seizure laws. It doesn't appear to be their style. Also, that article could have been heavily edited because any sort of documentation that goes to any major media outlet is exposed to Israeli military censorship at two levels (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Military_Censor). For all we know, Google could have been ordered at gunpoint to hand over the records, and the world would never know because it would have to pass the censor first. There is a reason why almost all media in the US paints Israel in a positive light. In summary, I don't claim to be an armchair lawyer, but I don't seem to think that such a hostile country would be prone to giving its populace rights to searches and seizures.

    3. Re:Israeli Law by jdtch · · Score: 1

      You keep saying that Israel imposes a caste system when Israeli law plainly does not discriminate against its citizens in any way. The color-coded license plates to which you refer distinguish between those who hold Israeli citizenship and those who do not. If Palestinian law permitted Jews to become citizens, those Palestinian Jews would theoretically have the same plates as Palestinian Arabs. I am deeply troubled by your allegation that Israel cares little for human rights, as they are the only country in the region with equal rights regardless of religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Israel is not a perfect country and I am no great fan of the government there but to hold a country to a higher standard than any other indicates a bias. Your flawed understanding of the region's history notwithstanding, you still failed to address the expulsion of settlers from Gaza in 2005.

    4. Re:Israeli Law by scubamage · · Score: 1

      My 'flawed' understanding is based on living in the region for 4 years, working in Palastinian refugee camps for the UN. The caste system is unofficial. Keeping people "seperate but equal" equates to just as much. When Britain devided the then-mandate Palastine to make room for Israel, they did not remove all of those who were living there. As Israel expanded, it forced most out, however some were able to remain (hence the name Palastinian Israeli - a person of Palastinian descent living as a citizen of Israel). These people must recieve passes to proceed into certain areas (which change daily, making it possible for someone to leave home and literally never be permitted to return), and are subject to numerous restrictions that the Israeli settlers are not subject to. 4+ hour waits at checkpoints are common, and also hold up ambulances (something Israel has been attacked for on the world stage by groups such as Amnesty International, and is also illegal under international law) based solely on factors which essentially are based on an unofficial caste system. Certainn citizens are given the highest regard, given no restriction when passing through checkpoints (Israeli settlers). Palastinian Israelis are in the middle (permitted to enter and exit Israel after long delays at checkpoints, subject to access certain areas of cities based solely on permits - basically imagine a hall pass you'd need to be allowed to return to your home, or visit a friend), and Palastinians who have not assumed Israeli citizenship on the bottom (basically relegated to living in refugee camps). An equal protection clause means nothing if it is not followed. If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck... its most likely a duck. Feel free to search youtube for things like "israel ambulance checkpoint" and you'll see how the facade of human rights that makes it through the censors is very, very different from the real story.

    5. Re:Israeli Law by jdtch · · Score: 1

      Well, I've never lived in Israel, really, and I've never even been to Yesha, so on the matter of practical experience I must respectfully concede to you. I am aware that there is racism in Israeli society. It is not exclusively anti-Arab racism. The racism towards Sefardim and Mizrahim (to say nothing of that shown to Beta Israel) by Ashkenazim is appalling. The rabid hatred of the haredim on the part of chilonim isn't racism proper but is certainly a similar cultural bias which is almost universal throughout secular Israel. The point I'm trying to make (probably poorly) is that Israel struggles with issues of cultural bias like any other modern country. I sincerely doubt there is one that doesn't (Canada does a pretty good job, though). Critically, however, Anti-Arabism or any other caste system, with the possible exception of the Law of Return (which has analogues in many other countries), is not a matter of official Israeli policy. While this fact does not excuse or exclude the prejudices held by society, it is relevant, especially when one compares Israel to surrounding nations. While doing so may seem to be a straw man, in this instance it is not. The differentiating factor is the fervent desire of several powerful nations neighboring Israel to see Israel removed from the map completely. Whether or not this wish includes genocide or merely forced removal is irrelevant. Such open hostility is not tolerated in any other part of the world. Why is tolerated here? When one of the countries in question is the Palestinian Territories, the relevance of the issue to Israeli sociocultural biases becomes clearer. The peoples you describe as being at the lowest rung of the Israeli caste system are not in fact Israeli citizens at all. They are citizens of a state which is openly hostile to the existence of Israel and who, for that matter, does not recognize the existence of Israel as a state at all. Is it really that surprising that citizens of such a state are subject to more thorough scrutiny than others, especially given the steady stream of violent attacks stemming from that state? By the way, don't think that I'm discounting Israeli violence against Arabs - I'm not, and it's just as bad. Still, most Arab countries limit the application of Israeli violence by not allowing anybody with so much as an Israeli stamp on their passport across their borders. Incidentally, as I say, I've never been to the territories, but I find your likening of them to a giant refugee camp somewhat inaccurate. Most refugee camps do not have a multibillion dollar import/export industry, do not show economic growth over the past five years, do not hold free elections, have over 100,000 college students studying within its borders, etc. By the way, I appreciate how civil this discussion has remained. Most of the other threads have disintegrated in to pointless flaming.

  92. MOD ABUSE -- MOD PARENT UP by E++99 · · Score: 1

    The moderation system does not exist so that you can squelch opinions that you disagree with. The parent article is clearly not a troll or flaimbait, so anonymous moderator cowards who disagree with it have modded it "overrated" so that no one will read it. It should be modded up so that both sides of the discussion are visible. CmdrTaco says that we should notify him when such abuses take place so he can revoke the moderation privileges of people who abuse the power in that way. I suggest we take him up on it.

  93. 2-for-1 post by thegnu · · Score: 1

    Well as long as you put it out as an opinion rather than a statement of fact, in most countries in would not be slander, how ever it would likely be considered as harassment.

    Flyer:
    Man a Rapist, in my opinion
    This man, pictured below, is a rapist (in my opinion).
    [picture]
    He broke into my house, in my opinion, with what I sincerely believe was a machete, and it is my opinion that he then he raped my wife and daughter.
    It is also my opinion that he lives at 5212 Willow Aslantabrook Rd.
    keep an eye out.

    Oblig:
    Jesus Quintana: You ready to be fucked, man? I see you rolled your way into the semis. Dios mio, man. Liam and me, we're gonna fuck you up.
    The Dude: Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
    --
    Please stop stalking me, bro.
  94. MOD PARENT DOWN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    and teach them the word "alleged"

  95. Expecting Privacy and Anonymity is not Realistic by CleanGuy · · Score: 1

    Any intelligent person knows that very little anymore is done anonymously or privately, especially if advanced technology is used. Almost all of a person's browser history, emails, phone calls, postings, text messages and instant messages are preserved somewhere on a hard drive. If another individual has the will and resources, this information is easily traced to the person or persons involved (or at least to the machines and accounts involved). Even an individual's routine movements just driving around in a car can be monitored by cell phone towers, EZ-Pass, and On-Star. Some new makes of cars automatically include (unbeknown to the owners) "black boxes," which monitor speed and direction of a vehicle then save the information. In addition, just driving or walking a mile down a road in any developed area, an individual can easily be photographed by multiple security cameras from various establishments along that road. Think about financial transactions. Every check one ever writes and every credit card purchase one ever makes is a matter of permanent record. I could go on and on. Much of this information is sold on the open market. (Do you read to fine print in all those "agreements" for which you sign or click "agree?") The rest of the information is circulated through other channels. For instance, the big mobile phone companies have admitted giving their call records to the government as a personal favor from their CEO's to their friends in the government. In matters of consequence, privacy and anonymity no longer exist.

    --
    The Internetâ(TM)s #1 Wholesale Janitorial Supply Company. Everyone is Our Customer! See our online janitorial supp
  96. Re:hi, I'm non-white... by qbzzt · · Score: 1

    Judaism isn't a race, because you can't join a race and you can convert to Judaism - even if it's harder than converting to Islam.

    I didn't bring Saudi Arabia as an example because it excuses Israel, but because it doesn't make sense to boycott Israel and not boycott Saudi. And if you drive a car, you probably can't boycott Saudi.

    --
    -- Support a free market in the field of government
  97. Assertiveness is to aggression as skepticism is to by gregconquest · · Score: 1

    .....Great post, beyondkaoru. I think what is needed is for the public education system to educate us all to be skeptical of advertisers, snake oil salesmen, and anonymous claims to knowledge...
    .....As a species, we humans tend to grow and develop always thinking that someone else is better than us ... knows more than us ... or has the right or might to tell us what to do. We are never taught, at least in American public schools, to investigate and question assertions of authority. Creating such a consensus alone would works wonders.
    .....It is a fundamental oversight in culture design, it seems to me. Yet how to carry it out the change is the problem. I cannot clearly characterize what exactly needs to be taught, and I think it must be clearly characterized before it be considered worth serious inquiry. I strongly sense it *is* definable. But if it were to be named and taught effectively to the masses of humanity, then generic drugs would be more popular, Gucci would make a lot less money, scores of snake-oil salesmen would never get past their first two sentences, and the Church would . . . wow. I see a pattern here . . .
    .....Maybe someone here can help in the attempt at defining this, if you please. I can give an analogy with my view of the missing component:
    .....Assertiveness is to aggression as skepticism is to ?????
    .....I almost want to say we should teach "skepticism", but like the example analogy shows, "skepticism" is not the correct concept. Skepticism is more of a challenge, a reaction, than it is a healthy, maintainable outlook on life.

    Greg Conquest

  98. Defensive war by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 1
    What part of defensive war did you not understand.

    The part where he uses the term, 'defensive war'.

    You see, back before there was an Israel, there was a country called Palestine. Then Palestine was taken away from the native population and given to the Zionist movement to create a new country. Some of the original population went along with this somewhat willingly. Others not. I say the land was stolen, but that's just my response to the historical accounts available (the ones which don't come written on bible paper).

    But the problem is that the angry fellow who posted called this occupation of Palestine a, 'defensive war'. --And I don't see how that term could be applied to the above scenario. Now if the native population of Palestine were fighting to stop invaders who were intent on taking away their land and putting them all behind a huge wall, then you could say that the natives were fighting a, 'Defensive War'. Because, you see, they were the ones who were minding their own lives when the Zionist movement descended upon them with the intention of land appropriation. But as it happens, the poster told me that the reverse was true; that the occupying forces were the ones I was supposed to feel sympathy for, that they were the ones fighting a so-called 'defensive war', even though the land was not their's to start with. So I assumed that the poster was either, A) writing about something entirely different and that it was all a big misunderstanding, or that he was B) Insane.

    Seriously. I wasn't sure, because the claim was so incredibly at odds with the reality of the situation that I thought nobody could be that mistaken. --So I liberally applied my response to him with qualifiers. However, those qualifiers were obviously not clearly put, because you seem to have responded with the same bizarre interpretation. So tell me. Have I made a huge mistake about the subject we are supposedly writing about, or are you also nuts?


    -FL

    1. Re:Defensive war by rossz · · Score: 1

      You see, back before there was an Israel, there was a country called Palestine.


      No, there was no country of "Palestine".

      The land we were talking about was the Gaza. Israel took this land when every arab country around them tried to wipe them off the face of the earth. The arab countries failed and Israel kept the lands. In an attempt to gain peace, they gave this land up. They were immediately repaid for this act of good will through rocket attacks on innocent civilians.

      Oh, wait. Racist assholes like you don't believe any "evil jew" is innocent, so they are all legitimate targets.

      You show a profound ignorance of not just history, but of recent world events. Those blinders you wear were probably glued onto your face during college (or did it occur in your local mosque?). Defending murderous terrorists attacks against unarmed women and children because they are "Jews!" is the height of racism. You are, plain and simple, evil.

      --
      -- Will program for bandwidth
    2. Re:Defensive war by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, there was no country of "Palestine".

      Fantastic Lad is talking about the period before 1918, when Israel did not exist, and had not for at least a thousand years. IIRC, Israel had been conquered by the Roman Empire, and was eventually dissolved. The subsequent Arab residents, known as 'Palestinians', occupied the region for somewhere between 1000 and 2000 years. God took the Jewish people's land away because they weren't very pious.

      Also IIRC, sometime in the early 20th century the Zionist Jews (zionists being those who wanted to re-establish Israel) bought the land occupied by the Palestinians from "absentee landlords" in the Ottoman Empire. The Palestinians had no concept of having 'title' to a piece of land, and the Ottomans issued titles for themselves to the Palestinians' land.

      See the September 10th, 2001 story on K5: Religious-Run Governments and Restriction of Freedom.

      I'd say more (and verify my recollections), but it's time for bed.

      Have a nice day.

      (anonymous because I guess I moderated in this story...)

    3. Re:Defensive war by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 1

      No, there was no country of "Palestine".

      Hm. Okay. 'Country' is too literal. It was all about Empires for a long while there. We could call it a defunct Ottoman province, I guess. For several hundred years it kind of depended on who had the better armed tax collectors what the land was written down as in the ledger books. For simplicity, we might say, "the region which everybody unofficially called 'Palestine' until it became somewhat more official after the Ottoman controlled lands were carved up by the Brits and the French." --But I think calling it 'Palestine' is easier. In any case, brown people have lived there and would know where to point you if you asked how to get there. It wasn't until a bunch of Europeans decided to make it a country based entirely on a dumb religion and put all the Jews there that the real problems started. --Which has always struck me as a profoundly efficient way to put an entire group of people into one place if their eventual destruction was the end goal, --a goal which I think is becoming increasingly more evident as world events progress. I recommend to all my Jewish friends to stay the heck out of the so-called holy land for this exact reason. When the tables finally turn, it's going to be a bad day to be Jewish in Israel.

      You show a profound ignorance of not just history, but of recent world events. Those blinders you wear were probably glued onto your face during college (or did it occur in your local mosque?). Defending murderous terrorists attacks against unarmed women and children because they are "Jews!" is the height of racism. You are, plain and simple, evil.

      Wow. Where to begin here. . .

      First of all. . , I happen to agree with you re college training. --They cost too much and they create limitations in people, but they also have their place. I'd not want to drive across a bridge which had been built by somebody without an engineer's certification. But whatever the case, I can tell you I got fed up with college after a few months and left feeling gyped. I'd had such high expectations. I've never visited a mosque, nor do I have much use for Islam in much the same way I think Christianity and Judaism are for people who have been duped. As for defending murderous terrorist attacks against anybody, let alone civilians. . . I certainly never said any such thing. Killing is wrong, no matter who happens to be doing it. However. . . Claiming a chunk of land and planting a religious flag, and shoveling everybody of the wrong faith out is kind of insane. It's asking to get shot at. --Which, I suspect, is why it was engineered in the first place. Unless you are taking off to the 'new land' in wooden boats to avoid religious persecution, (and to kill off all the stick-wielding natives when you get there), you're simply going to piss everybody off. But of course, I think that the whole idea of religion was similarly designed to make sure nobody got the idea of acting respectfully towards one another. Divide and conquer, right?

      Basically, the only real solution is to abandon religion altogether and stop planting flags.

      The Zionist government is pretty much psychotic, as are most (if not all) governments. People get so caught up in their divisions that all it takes are a few bombs to make people do crazy things. And while I am sure there are confused murderers with rockets, there are also secret services which will bomb their own people to make sure the flocks move in the right directions. We see it everywhere and I've heard about it from 'within' the beast. The false flag op is a real thing.

      I went to school with one guy who was highly influenced by this junk. --He was a really seedy character who would regularly plagiarize to win school writing contests and pass term papers. It drove the people around him nuts, but he got through life handily enough. He even wrote a book filled with stories about Palestinian terrorists cutting open the bellies of pregnant women and dancing on the unborn babies

  99. Some more info from my pals in legal..... by chrisd · · Score: 1
    Here's the background on the request and what happened internally:

    "Here's a bit more background on this situation. Members of the Israeli Shaarei Tikva Council accused an anonymous blogger of defamation and asked for an injunction against Google requiring us to provide the IP address of the blogger. We opposed the injunction, in part because we wanted to give the blogger a chance to explain in court why his or her IP address shouldn't be disclosed. The court agreed that the blogger should be given notice. The court also directed Google to give the court the IP address and when the blogger did not reply to the notice the court provided the members of the council with the IP address. What we did in this instance was standard. We objected to the injunction, but were ultimately directed by the court to provide it with the IP address."

    -Chris

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    Co-Editor, Open Sources
    Open Source Program Manager, Google, Inc.
  100. ufail by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "In line with Judge Schwartz's ruling, Google and the councilmen reached a settlement in their dispute. Following the 72 hour period, Google was ordered to hand over the IP address to the court."
    ^^^
    At least read the article you're linking so that you don't post erroneous statements such as...

    Google (its Israeli subsidiary) gave up the IP address of a Blogger user without being compelled to do so by a court