US federal authorities demand information about YouTube users from Google
According to information published by Forbes, the US federal authorities have asked Google to provide personal data of YouTube users who watched certain videos between January 1 and January 8, 2023. The request concerned names, addresses, phone numbers, and account activity, as well as the IP addresses of users who watched videos without authorization in their accounts. The purpose of the request was to collect data in connection with the investigation of a person using the nickname “elonmuskwhm” on the Internet.
The main suspicion was that “elonmuskwhm” was engaged in the illegal sale of bitcoins for cash, violating money laundering laws and conducting unlicensed money transfer activities. Investigators attempted to identify the offender by using links to YouTube videos to communicate with the suspect, which included training materials on the use of drones and augmented reality software. These videos had a total number of views of over 30,000, which means that the request could have been for information about a large number of users.
The court granted the authorities’ request, but recommended that Google keep it secret. It is currently unknown whether Google has complied with this request.
The concern is that such actions by the authorities may cross the boundaries of privacy, as access to personal information is granted without direct evidence of illegal activity on the part of those who viewed the videos. Critics and privacy advocates believe that such actions may violate people’s fundamental rights to privacy of information about their online activities.
“What we look at online can reveal deeply sensitive information about us – our politics, our passions, our religious beliefs, and more,” John Davisson, senior counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, told Forbes. “It’s fair to expect that law enforcement will not have access to this information without probable cause. This order turns that assumption on its head.”
