Feds Ordered Google to Unmask Anonymous YouTube Users
The federal government ordered Google to unmask certain YouTube users based on the videos they watched.
According to two court orders obtained and reviewed by Forbes, the federal government reportedly told Google to provide the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and user activity for all Google accounts that watched a certain YouTube video. The video in question had 30,000 views, meaning the federal government sought the information of 30,000 individuals without their knowledge.
The government also demanded the IP addresses of any video viewers who did not have a Google account.
According to an unsealed case from Kentucky, reviewed by Forbes, the federal government sought to find the identity of an individual who uses the username “elonmuskwhm.” The federal government suspects the individual of selling Bitcoin for cash and potentially flouting money laundering laws.
Individuals from both sides of the political aisle have agreed that the federal government’s behavior was likely unconstitutional. Some experts have accused the federal government of turning innocent YouTube viewers into criminal suspects.
“No one should fear a knock at the door from police simply because of what the YouTube algorithm serves up,” Albert Fox-Cahn, the executive director at the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project told Forbes.
“This is the latest chapter in a disturbing trend where we see government agencies increasingly transforming search warrants into digital dragnets,” Fox-Cahn continued. “It’s unconstitutional, it’s terrifying and it’s happening every day.”
Google was reportedly told to keep the request confidential until the court order was unsealed. It’s unclear whether Google provided the data that was requested to the federal government or not.
This is not the first instance of social media giants working in tandem with the federal government. Most notably, the federal government pressured Amazon to censor books related to COVID-19 vaccine skeptics in early 2021. The federal government cited concerns that the books contained “propaganda” and “misinformation.” Moreover, a case currently being heard by the U.S. Supreme Court brought against the federal government by two state attorney generals accused executive agencies of colluding with social media companies to suppress speech and information.
