DOJ Wants Internet Usage Records

The Justice Department plans to ask Internet service providers to retain data for as long as two years in order to aid in criminal investigations. While the proposal is in its formative stages, a final proposal is expected to be given to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales by this summer.

Media sources have reported that both the Justice Department and FBI met with several Internet providers behind closed doors last week to discuss the program. Right now, most companies hold traffic records only for a few days, unless requested otherwise.

While the agency wants the companies to retain data longer, it is not necessarily asking for the contents. As necessary, law enforcement officials would pursue that portion of the data through legal means, such as a subpoena.

It's likely that the move will need to clear some legal hurdles before taking effect. Privacy advocates, as well as some Internet companies, may resist the plan, saying it violates a user's right to privacy. Furthermore, the program is likely to cost quite a bit to retain such large amounts of data.

The Justice Department is hoping to strengthen its fight against child pornography through the program. Google and the DOJ butted heads in January over the initiative, when the agency sought information of Google searches.

The federal government was attempting to gather data to support a child protection law that was struck down two years ago by the U.S. Supreme Court. Under that law, the government could punish pornography sites that made content easily accessible to minors.

However, it appears that the Justice Department would also use the data culled from the Internet companies to aid in its battle against terrorism.

Details of the meetings between the DOJ and Internet providers was first reported by CNET News.com last week, and was confirmed Friday by the Wall Street Journal.