Data Retention: The Government's Answer to Google

Latest post over at Tech Dirt on the government's push for data retention. Data retention is the government's answer to Google refusing to hand over search histories. A data retention law would force all internet search engines to save the records of any search done for a defined period (I think the current draft says 6 months), as well as forcking the internet service providers to keep logs of who and where everyone is. Of course the government isn't going to bother to pay for any of this storage space.

But, my dear citizens, why wouldn't we agree with our government's desires? After all, "law enforcement does need data...to track down some of these perpetrators," and "The more information we have, the more helpful it is to the investigation." These people have obviously never heard the phrase "needle in a haystack." There comes a point where you have so much information that it does you little or no good.

But do our law enforcement officials intend on listening to this funny thing called logic. Of course not. I'm not a paranoid guy when it comes to government, but it seems to me this is another step along the wiretapping path. Of course, they're only going to moniter the criminals. The problem with that theory is that you have to know who the criminals are before hand, and if you knew that there wouldn't be this problem in the first place.

I understand the need to have some method for catching child pornographers, but this really isn't it. It only damages all parties involved, except for those doing something wrong.