USA TODAY is reporting the attorney general met with Google, Microsoft, AOL, Comcast, Verizon and others last Friday to ask them to save records of Web activity for two years. AG Alberto Gonzales cited the government's interest in fighting terrorism and child pornography.
The report said the ISPs didn't recoil but did say they thought there are privacy concerns that need to be respected. The companies' chief worry was the cost of keeping all that data.
"The issue for us is not whether we retain data, but we want to see it done right," says Dave McClure, president of the U.S. Internet Industry Association, which represents 150 companies, primarily Internet service providers. "Our concerns are who pays for it, what data is retained, and if it is retained legally without violating federal laws and subscriber agreements."
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