Government seeks personal information about who watched certain YouTube videos

Government seeks personal information about who watched certain YouTube videos،

According to Forbes, Google was forced to provide government investigators with phone numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and user activity for certain YouTube accounts. The IP addresses of some YouTube users who watched certain videos were also leaked. The request for information is the result of a criminal investigation by federal investigators. The videos were sent by undercover police officers to a suspect accused of cryptocurrency laundering.

The suspect, who goes by the username “elonmuskwhm,” was sent links to publicly available YouTube tutorials that showed viewers how to map via drones, as well as videos discussing augmented reality software. Although these videos have been viewed more than 30,000 times, most of those views were unrelated to the case. Google was asked for a list of those who viewed these videos between January 1 and 8, 2023, although Forbes was not sure whether Google complied with this request.

The request for this information has raised some alarms, although Google spokesperson Matt Bryant told Forbes: “With all law enforcement requests, we have a rigorous process designed to protect privacy and the constitutional rights of our users while supporting the important work of law enforcement. We review each request for legal validity, consistent with evolving case law, and we regularly object to overbroad or otherwise inappropriate requests for user data, including objecting to certain requests entirely.

Those concerned about privacy issues are upset to learn that the government is requesting this information from Google. Albert Fox-Cahn, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, told Forbes: “It’s unconstitutional, it’s terrifying and it’s happening every day. »

Federal investigators say the request for information was legally justified since the requested data “would be relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation, including providing identifying information about the perpetrators.” The government also noted that such requests had been made by police in other states. In one case in New Hampshire, investigators looked into bomb threats broadcast live on YouTube. Police have asked for information about who was watching the live broadcasts at certain times.