This is big and falls right in line with their stance on China in my opinion. They must be having some very long and serious discussions over at Google about responsibly handling the data they collect. It has always been bizarre to me that companies are obligated to hand over data vs every other type of investigation request (physically) needs to be via a warrant.
Edit: I'd like to elaborate that I also feel the service provider should have the option of providing the data if they so choose on a case-by-case basis. I think there is much to be said of "physical" illegal activity online being easy to stamp out (with regard to child porn, rape, stalking and other morally heinous things).
> It has always been bizarre to me that companies are obligated to hand over data vs every other type of investigation request (physically) needs to be via a warrant.
If you print the data out (perhaps as pages of easily re-scannable 2D barcodes) and then proceed to wipe it from your more magnetized storage, do they need a warrant to search your barcode filing cabinets? What, then, defines "data?"
>I also feel the service provider should have the option of providing the data if they so choose on a case-by-case basis
That can be part of your contract with the provider -- in fact, some places have such things in their terms of service. If Google, for example, spelled out in their Terms of Service particular situations in which they might voluntarily choose to provide data (versus requiring a warrant), that would be fine.
Edit: I'd like to elaborate that I also feel the service provider should have the option of providing the data if they so choose on a case-by-case basis. I think there is much to be said of "physical" illegal activity online being easy to stamp out (with regard to child porn, rape, stalking and other morally heinous things).