Google Backs Yahoo In Privacy Fight With DoJ

PatPending sends in CNET coverage of Yahoo's new allies in its fight with the DoJ to protect the privacy of its customers' email stored in the cloud. Google, the EFF, the CDT, and others have filed a friend-of-the-court brief arguing that the DoJ should be required to obtain a search warrant signed by a judge in order to compel Yahoo to turn over users' email messages. "Does email stored in the cloud have the same level of protection as the same information stored by a person at home? No, according to the Obama administration's Assistant US Attorney Pegeen Rhyne, who wrote in a government motion filed last month, 'Previously opened e-mail is not in "electronic storage." This court should therefore require Yahoo to comply with the order and produce the specified communications in the targeted accounts.' (The Justice Department's position is that what's known as a 2703(d) order — not as privacy-protective as the rules for search warrants — should let police read email.)" Update: 04/16 23:26 GMT by KD : he government backed off: "Saying the contested e-mail 'would not be helpful to the government’s investigation,' the authorities withdrew demands for e-mail in a pending and sealed criminal case." So no court ruling and no precedent.

Comments

Re:Privacy

[icebraining]

I spent four years in the Air force, disliked it immensely, but nevertheless consider it to have been a valuable use of my time. In terms of conscription, I believe this nation could benefit from mandatory conscription for a number of years along the lines of what, say, Israel or Switzerland does.

So you value Freedom above life, yet you believe in forcing people to waste years of life in military against their will? That's a little contradictory, isn't it?

Re:other ramifications???

[shentino]

That's a privacy issue, not an ownership issue.

Since patents, registered copyrights, and trademarks are all public record, they don't need a warrant anyway.