• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, March 14, 2006

The Bush Administration recently asked a federal judge to order the Internet company Google to turn over records of all searches performed with its search engine in a random week to facilitate their efforts to determine the extent to which web searches turn up objectionable sites. Google refused, claiming that the release of such information threatens the privacy rights of its users.

A new national poll by the Center for Survey Research at the University of Connecticut shows that sixty-five percent of Americans oppose government monitoring of ordinary Americans' search behavior, compared to only 30% who support it. Six in ten Americans oppose companies permanently storing users' search information, compared to 32% who support the activity.

Americans divide, though, over whether companies operating search engines should turn over information on users' search behaviors to the government: 50% say the companies should not comply with the government's request while 44% say the companies should.

There is no difference between the preferences of Internet users and non-Internet users.   There are, however, large differences among partisans, in all likelihood due to Republican control of the government. Sixty-seven percent of Democrats say the companies should not turn over search information to the government, compared to 30% of Republicans. Among Independents, 42% say the companies should turn over the information to the government.

Currently, 71% of Internet users utilize search engines at least once a week, 39% utilize them at least once daily, and 23% utilize more than once a day.

For the complete report and charts, please go here.