So What's The Deal?

Most people in the world use search engines, and at the same time, most people greatly value their privacy. Most rational people want their business kept confidential. They want a sense of comfort and security. No one wants to be subjected to unnecessary harassment. Internet users such as ourselves must recognize this issue and decide a course of action. Let us examine this issue and the problems this issue causes.

When a person types and sends information through a search engine, that information is stored and later reviewed by a search engine employee. The reason for this is supposedly beneficial. Our data is used for research and developmental purposes in order to make improvements to search engine technology. We can assume that designers of search engines are simply trying to help internet users in their search engines needs. Markham Erickson, director of NetCoalition, states, “If companies cannot use search query information to improve their services for users, then consumers ultimately will pay the price if this data cannot be used to improve search technology.” Government officials can also subpoena search engine companies in order to obtain information for their own interrogative or research purposes. Companies such as MSN, Yahoo, and America Online have all complied with government requests for search logs. The government may request search logs in order to obtain evidence against criminals or simply to learn what the average internet user searches for. In January 2006, a subpoena was sent to Google by the government requesting data to "assist the government in its efforts to understand the behavior of current Web users, to estimate how often Web users encounter harmful-to-minors material in the course of their searches, and to measure the effectiveness of filtering software in screening that material.” The Department of Justice argues that this is beneficial because the government is trying to prevent crime and learn how people think.