ABSTRACT
Based on current legal and policy standards (or lack thereof) about the use of Internet intelligence, it appears that the highest risk is in the reporting and subsequent use of online data. Merely conducting an online search creates a record in the computer used. Reports may be oral or written, but it is clear that even where formal reports are not written, the activities of the Web searcher are chronicled in one form or another in the computer systems used to access the Internet. Today, many enterprises allow anyone to search any topic, to process any information gained as they wish, and to reach whatever conclusions or decisions they believe are appropriate based on their ndings. Major search engines store records of queries not only on the workstation of the researcher, but also on search engine servers, identifying queries with IP addresses. A serial murderer in the Midwest was convicted based in part on evidence of searching and mapping done on his PC. Internet search records could be subpoenaed to show bias or unfair treatment. If a pattern of unfair practices were suspected, for example, bias in hiring, the enterprise’s Internet search records could be obtained, for civil or criminal proceedings.
