Our beloved  federal government have decided that private companies should act as their unpaid researchers to help bolster their third attempt to pass a law "protecting the children"  by trying to resurrect the Copa act which was deemed unconstitutional in 2004 , the Communications Decency act suffered a similar fate, but they would like another attempt , they have the time,and our money, so what the hell:)

note the Tech press headlines nearly all avoid using the term "porn probe"  and the feed services and ' journalists" in the majority of the  "American media echo chamber" don't. Nor do they get what's happening here,provide no background and repeat the same quotes  based on the "need" of the Government to obtain the data ad nauseum. They wilfully misrepresent the nature of the act which is intended to prevent children's access to pornographic materials by using  "child porn" , a totally more disgusting and illegal animal,  as an emotive phrase to bias the article in a direction I am not sure a fair examination of the facts would lead you to the same conclusion which is interesting when you contrast it with the article that the San Jose Mercury ran on it. .

The gov did not "ask" for these records it demanded them, the fact that google are now in court defending themselves for declining their inquiry should make that clear.