Amazon wins fight for user privacy
p2pnet news | Freedom:- The smile on Amazon’s logo is wider following a US court decision.
If there’s $$$ involved, Facebook thinks it’s OK to trample on users’ privacy. But Amazon doesn’t agree.
“Federal prosecutors tried unsuccessfully to force Amazon.com to identify thousands of innocent customers who bought books online, then abandoned the idea after a judge rebuked them.” says CNET News.
US prosecutors thought user data would, “help them prove their case against a former Madison, Wisc., city official charged with tax evasion related to selling used books through Amazon,” says the story.
But US district judge Stephen Crocker, “rejected the Justice Department’s subpoena for details”.
“The subpoena is troubling because it permits the government to peek into the reading habits of specific individuals without their prior knowledge or permission,” Crocker wrote in June.
Amazon filed the lawsuit to quash the grand jury subpoena, says CNET, adding:
“The onetime Madison city official who’s facing tax evasion, wire fraud, and money laundering charges is Robert D’Angelo.
“He was indicted in October on charges that he ran a sizable mail order business from his city office, using city computers, and city storage facilities. The business allegedly generated $238,000 in revenue through the sale of music CDs, costume jewelry, and – through Amazon – used books.”
(Thanks, Julie)
Also See:
trample on users’ privacy – Facebook privacy invasion ‘glitch’, November 29, 2007
CNET News – Feds lose bid for Amazon.com customer records, November 27, 2007
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