AG Requests Data, Google Refuses

This AP Story carried on Yahoo News says that the Connecticut Attorney General has "requested" information from Google pertaining to their admittedly inadvertent collection of data fragments from open WiFi networks during their drive-by data collection for Street View.

While I am disappointed that Google collected more information than locations and SSIDs being broadcast, the Connecticut Attorney General "requested" the information, and Google is well within their rights to decline. I am more disappointed that the Connecticut AG has chosen to respond to the rebuff with a press release.

Here is the bottom line.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Put simply, if an AG wants information from Google, or anyone else for that matter, to "review the information" so they can determine if a crime was committed, they can get a warrant.

This is just another facet of the Fifth Amendment's protection against self-incrimination.

...nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself... 

Government has no right to compel anyone to comply with a fishing expedition.

I hope Google stands its ground here, and if pressed, places its considerable resources behind a defense.

Oh - and I am a lot less worried about Google inadvertently collecting email fragments than I am about the government reading them.