2/9/05 Update: Mills article is here
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What privacy implications does the Google/Libraries project raise? Mike Mills, executive editor at CQ Weekly says a Google source told him:
"...libraries shouldn't worry because Google users aren't patrons in the traditional sense -- they won't be "checking out" books, they'll be visiting library Web pages. Moreover, he said, law enforcement officials are more likely to track suspects through Internet service providers than through Google; ISPs keep even more detailed data on users' names, search-histories and overall Web usage."
- Mike Mills, "Googling the Stacks: Libraries love Google's offer to scan their holdings but they also love keeping borrowers' records private." CQ Weekly January 24, 2005 (you can get the whole issue here, then go to page 172)
Combine this with the persistent cookie (expires 2038), used to track your search history (for targeted advertising) and it looks like serious questions should be asked about privacy implications for users.
Libraries don't just care about users privacy inside a brick building ... we care about the freedom to read without the fear that a government agent is looking over our shoulders, wherever we may be.
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