What Would Google Do?

Google is resisting a subpoena requested by the Justice Department to turn over millions of search records.

Mr. Miller [a Justice department spokeperson] declined to say exactly how the data would be used, but according to the government's filings, it would help estimate the prevalence of material that could be deemed harmful to minors and the effectiveness of filtering software.

If Google would like to help the government, then good for them. But if they don't want to help, it's unclear as to what basis the government would have for demanding Google's private records. Can the government pour through confidential business records on the sole basis that they are on a fact finding mission in an attempt to solve a "national problem?" What's frightening is how reasonable the government's logic seems. And I beleive that the Justice Department wants the information for precisely the reason it says it wants the information.

The problem is just how damn accepting the American public is of the nanny state. Thank God for the people who think that the Bush administration and the Justice Department is up to no good. Without them, I'm not sure anyone would be left to stand up to this sort of nonsense.