On January 18 the Bush Administration asked a federal judge (in California) to order Google to turn over 2 million randomly chosen records of searches conducted by Google users. Google refused to comply. The Center for Survey Research and Analysis at the University of Connecticut decided to see how consumers felt about it. First, consumers were asked if search companies should comply with the government request. --> 50% said search companies should NOT comply with the govt request. --> 44% said search companies should comply with the govt request. Then, the question was rephrased. Consumers were asked if they support government monitoring of individual search records. --> A whopping 65% said NO, they do NOT support govt monitoring of search records. --> 30% said yes (5% were undecided) There's a lesson in this for anyone marketing online. Know what it is? HOW you say things affects the response you get. But you knew that, right? : ) Linda P.S. Interesting side note. According to the survey, 71% of US Internet users use search engines at least once a week, 39% use them at least once a day, and 23% use them more than once a day. Interesting indeed. Puts a whole new spin on the "must be on page one" obsession.

. . I am in agreement with the 50% in the first question and the 65% in the second question. I am glad Google has refused while other search engines already turned their records over, (thanks a lot!). If WHAT we say is important, then HOW we say it is even more important. My mother used to tell me that frequently, "It's not what you're saying, it's how you're saying it". I guess I tend to be a little sharp when I speak :0) I'm married and not interested in picking up girls but this remindedme of a guy, (forget his name) that has been getting some press lately about how to pick up girls. He's the Pick-Up Artist and has a book published. It's all about what to say, but also HOW to say it. Jim

As a futher development to all of this there is a story in the news today about how a Federal Judge is going to force Google to hand over the records. SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- A federal judge said Tuesday he intends to require Google Inc. to turn over some information to the Department of Justice in its quest to revive a law making it harder for children to see online pornography. Freedom of Sppech, Freedom of the Press, more like, "Do what we say and shut up about it", after all this is in the land of the free and the home of the brave. The Government can make this out to be anything they want. In this case an attempt to help with a porn case trial, and that surely is a good thing. But let us just say that during their chance to look over any recordsa they might decide to look at anyhting else they feel like and then make a case using the information to force the release of all of the records. It can happen. The goverment wants to try to prove that by re-entering the information in the records they will be able to show how filtering methods are not preventing children from seeing images that they should be protected from. The government doesn't need to do this, the reality is that parents need to parent and oversee what theor children are doing when they are on-line. Parents should parent, teachers should teach, and the government should govern. How about the government protect us from some of the images we have to see when we go to the mall, 13 year old girls dressed up like they are 30. Or how about the number of butt cracks publicly on display these days. If you really want to see first hand how easy it is for kids to see anything on-line these days just check the history on any computer in any school or how about your own childs computer?

========================================== HOW you say things affects the response you get. ========================================== Thus the very reason I don't put too much weight on surveys, polls, studies and the likes unless I know exactly what's being asked and where the statistics are coming from! :-) Kind of reminds me of a health products company a few years ago who were touting they were voted #1 in the industry. Of course they forgot to metion that 99% of the people who voted them into that position were members of their own distribution system! People will do almost anything to make themselves look good.

I have to comment on what Peter said. Amen! for one thing. My mother thinks the Internet is the worse place in the world. Because of the pediphiles and such. The children getting abducted every day. Children being cohersed into doing things they shouldn't by way of a webcam. So on and so forth. Parents Have to monitor their childrens online activities! I have 3 children, 8 yr old boy, 13 year old girl and a 15 year old boy. And they Do Not get on this computer without asking permission. And I always ask what they plan on doing and monitor their activities! It helps that the computer is in the corner of the dining room. Easily viewed from Kitchen and Living Room. Also, If I leave I shut the computer down. That way to log back on they have to have a password which is only in my head...lol! If Parents would take precautions many of the above mentioned problems would be minimal. As far as government intervention....I'm not sure how I feel about that. I do know that I did a search for a "Canoe Picture" one time, the results showed Title and Description for a website that match my interests. Upon going to the website, however, IT definitely was not what I was looking for! Use your imagination...It wouldn't be appropriate for me to describe what I was subjected to. But I think that is something that the Search Engine should monitor and filter. Not the government. (I did send a notice to google by email) Don't know if it was read. Just my opinions, Angela