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A new case has emerged online where the government of the United States has reportedly ordered Google to hand over the data of some users who have watched certain types of videos on the YouTube platform. The firm has been provided with no other choice but to provide the data to the government within the specified time frame.
Why Government want to know who has watched certain YouTube videos?
Forbes opened and investigated an unsealed court document related to an ongoing case. According to them, the Federal government authorities in the United States have passed an order to Google, which asks for data of all the users who have watched certain YouTube videos. The authorities have asked for all the details such as phone number, account details, and addresses. Even if some users have watched the videos without logging in, they are not on the safer side because the authorities have asked for the IP address as well.
This order is part of an investigation going against an online user namely “elonmuskwhm.” The user reportedly sells Bitcoin in exchange for cash. This is against the law and order of the state and hence the authorities have started an investigation into this matter. The user has not just broken the law of money laundering, but also of running an unlicensed money-transmitting business.
Following the additional inquiry, the undercover government agents emailed the suspect links to YouTube lessons for mapping using drones and augmented reality software during their talks in early January. The video has as many as 30,000 views and this indirectly means that the authorities are asking for Google to reveal data of a huge set of users. There could be potential YouTube Premium users in the numbers as well, and the brand revealing their data is concerning.
Google did respond
A spokesperson of Google told Forbes that they take all the necessary steps to keep the sensitive data and information of their users private. However, the official did not directly comment on anything related to the current order passed on them.