It appears that watching YouTube videos has now become a flag for federal authorities in the United States. According to Engadget, federal authorities ordered Google to reveal the identities of users who viewed “certain YouTube videos.” The timeframe in which the videos were viewed was between January 1 and 8, 2023.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
The court documents were unsealed and Forbes was the first to view them. According to reports, it didn’t matter if you watched the videos with a logged in account or not. Federal authorities not only demanded Google give them data about logged in viewers, but also IP addresses, which they can use to identify any logged out viewers.
Federal Authorities Seek Identities
According to Engadget, The investigators reportedly ordered Google to hand over the information as part of an investigation into someone who uses the name “elonmuskwhm” online. This particular user is suspected of selling bitcoin for cash, which constitutes breaking money laundering laws.
Undercover agents reportedly sent the suspect links to videos of YouTube tutorials for mapping via drones and augmented reality software in their conversations back in early January. Those videos, however, weren’t private and had been collectively viewed by over 30,000 times, which means the government was potentially asking Google for private information on quite a large number of users. “There is reason to believe that these records would be relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation, including by providing identification information about the perpetrators,” authorities reportedly told the company.
Based on the documents Forbes had seen, the court granted the order but had asked Google to keep it under wraps. It’s also unclear if Google handed over the data the federal authorities were asking for. In another incident, authorities asked the company for a list of accounts that “viewed and/or interacted” with eight YouTube livestreams.
A Google spokesperson told Forbes that the company follows a “rigorous process” to protect the privacy of its users. But critics and privacy advocates are still concerned.
Engadget
Be sure to check out the Engadget and Forbes links for more information. But what do you think of this situation? You may comment by using the social media buttons below. Share on your favorite social media site and tag us on Facebook, X, MeWe, and LinkedIn. Or join our Telegram channel here.
In some of our articles and especially in our reviews, you will find Amazon or other affiliate links. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. Any other purchases you make through these links often result in a small amount being earned for the site and/or our writers. Techaeris often covers brand press releases. Doing this does not constitute an endorsement of any product or service by Techaeris. We provide the press release information for our audience to be informed and make their own decision on a purchase or not. Only our reviews are an endorsement or lack thereof. For more information, you can read our full disclaimer.
