Feds demanded ID of YouTube users who watched certain videos

[mountaineer]

Feds demanded ID of YouTube users who watched certain videos
PC World via MSN News
March 25, 2024

We’ve all made that joke, “Searching for this in Google is gonna get me on an FBI watch list.” But according to a recent report, that might actually be true if you watched some very specific YouTube videos last year. A United States federal court ordered Google to turn over the identities of tens of thousands of users who watched certain videos in a specific timeframe.

Federal investigators obtained court-approved subpoenas for any YouTube viewers who watched tutorials on mapping via drones and augmented reality software, according to a report from Forbes. The investigators had been communicating with a suspected money launderer undercover, sent them links to the relevant videos, then demanded Google identify anyone who had watched said videos immediately following.

The subpoena included names, addresses, telephone numbers, and browsing history for Google accounts for as many as 30,000 people, tracing traffic to the relevant videos for one week in January 2023. It’s not clear whether Google complied with the demands for user information, though corporations are typically hesitant to fight subpoenas issued by courts.

According to experts from the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project and the Electronic Privacy Information Center interviewed by Forbes, the subpoenas may have violated the US Constitution’s First and Fourth Amendments. These foundational laws protect freedom of speech and restrict unreasonable search and seizure, respectively. ...

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[mountaineer]

"It's unconstitutional, terrifying, & happening every day. These YouTube warrants are chilling, allowing police to target people simply for the content they consume."

https://twitter.com/TaraBull808/status/1773715484929573101

[mountaineer]

Federal Authorities Are Asking Google For Data On Viewers Of Specific YouTube Videos
March 23, 2024 9:19 AM
ER Velasco
The Deep Dive

Federal investigators have compelled Alphabet’s (NASDAQ: GOOG) Google to provide information on viewers of specific YouTube videos that relate to potential criminal activity. Multiple court orders obtained by Forbes reveal the extent of this directive, prompting outcry from privacy experts who argue that it infringes upon constitutional protections.

One such case, recently unsealed in Kentucky, involved undercover officers attempting to identify an individual operating under the online alias “elonmuskwhm.” Suspected of engaging in bitcoin transactions for cash, potentially violating money laundering laws, the individual was targeted through YouTube interactions.

Undercover agents engaged in conversations with the user, sharing links to YouTube tutorials on drone mapping and augmented reality software. Subsequently, law enforcement sought data from Google the identity of the viewers of these tutorials, which collectively garnered over 30,000 views.

The court orders mandated Google to provide comprehensive information, including names, addresses, telephone numbers, and user activity, for all Google account users who accessed the videos within a specified timeframe. Additionally, the government sought IP addresses of non-Google account holders who viewed the content. ...

[Smokin Joe]

Mapping via drones and augmented reality software?

As a Geologist with experience as an Archaeologist, this would be a topic I would find fascinating.

It could be a neat hobby in my old age. Now it's off limits? Enough. There are millions of felons popping into the country, thousands a day. Chase them and deport them.