Between The Lines... February, 2017

I. ONLINE PRIVACY TAKES A HIT AS GOOGLE ORDERED TO SHARE FOREIGN-STORED DATA

Thomas J. Rueter, a United States Magistrate Judge has rekindled the debate on online data privacy by allowing sharing of electronic data stored in servers of U.S. companies located outside the United States with the U.S. Government. The decision was pronounced on February 3, 2017.

Background

The Court had issued search warrants in August 2016 to Google, Inc. ("Google"). These warrants required Google to disclose certain data, associated with Google accounts of individuals residing in the United States, to an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Pennsylvania. It was alleged that the Google accounts were used to commit fraud and theft of trade secrets in violation of federal law. Google disclosed the data stored on its servers located in the United States but declined to disclose the electronic records stored outside the United States.