The federal government struck out in its attempt to force Google, Yahoo!, and three other major internet companies to turn over vast amounts of electronic communications relating to an ongoing criminal probe over stolen computer equipment.
In an August 27 decision, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David Waxse of the District of Kansas ruled that individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy when it comes to emails and other online communications, and rejected the federal government's application for search warrants as being overly broad. While investigating an alleged scheme to purchase more than $5,000 worth of computer equipment stolen from Sprint Corp., the government had demanded — citing the 1986 Stored Communications Act — that Google Inc., Yahoo! Inc., Verizon, Skype, and Go Daddy Operating Co. give up all emails, instant messages, chat logs and other communications from accounts the government believed were used to help utilize the scam.
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