I looked for a solution to this issue and found that a similar one had been posed, but I am still not persuaded that my understanding was incorrect.
Here’s what I have always believed:
If you are a psychologist, law student, or anybody else interested in child sexual assault and type terms like “child pornography” or “psychological effects of child rape” into Google’s search engine, your ISP will flag your IP address for investigation. If you enter too many such queries, your IP address is traced, and the cops may show up with a search warrant. While I have used child sexual assault as an extreme example, this can apply to any suspicious search history, such as terrorist recruitment or the effects of chloroform.
Questions:
Is this the way it works?
Do Google or other search engines keep track of your search history?
And may conducting enough suspicious searches result in a police visit?
I am primarily interested in Canadian law, but I am equally curious about other nations’ policies regarding internet search history.
While your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and search engines like Google do track your search history, it is not as straightforward as automatically flagging and investigating every suspicious search. However, certain search terms related to illegal activities, such as child exploitation or terrorism, can raise red flags and potentially lead to further scrutiny.
Also note that search engines do keep track of your search history. Google, for instance, logs your searches to improve its services and provide personalized results. This data can be accessed by law enforcement if they have a valid legal request, such as a warrant.
If your search history includes multiple queries that suggest involvement in illegal activities, it could attract the attention of law enforcement. This is particularly true for searches related to terrorism, child exploitation, or other serious crimes. Law enforcement agencies may use techniques like reverse keyword searches to identify suspects based on their search history.
Google searches themselves are not illegal. However, some searches might be monitored and could raise suspicion. While searching is generally not a crime, engaging in illegal activities online can lead to trouble with the law.
While search engines like Google do not directly flag IP addresses for investigation based on specific search queries, there are other mechanisms in place. Law enforcement agencies may monitor online activity related to illegal or harmful content, including child sexual abuse material. If someone conducts suspicious searches or accesses illegal content, it could trigger an investigation. However, this process is more complex than a direct flagging of IP addresses by search engines.
In my judgment, searches that breach privacy or intellectual property: searching for private information about individuals without their authorization, or accessing copyrighted material without permission, may subject someone to civil or even criminal punishment.
Hey
Google searches alone typically don’t cause legal trouble. However, searching for illegal activities, making threats, or using information for crimes can lead to legal issues. If you use Google responsibly and legally, your searches are generally safe.