November 7, 2006 12:23PM 

# Legal Process Is Good Business 

By [Jim Harper](https://www.cato.org/people/jim-harper) 

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I’ve written here a [couple](https://www.cato.org/2006/10/18/google-office-vs-government-request/) of [times](https://www.cato.org/2006/10/30/google-et-al-and-government-surveillance/) about how government access to data threatens many new and forthcoming business models.

TechDirt, a favorite tech-business blog, writes today about [some ISPs’ perceived lack of cooperation with law enforcement](http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20061106/101813.shtml). That ‘lack of cooperation’ is asking for a warrant before revealing customer data. “But requiring a warrant is a check against abuse; without them it’s hard for ISPs to judge the legitimacy and seriousness of a request. By valuing privacy, they better serve their customers, and ensure that law enforcement is only pursuing cases within the scope of the law.”

Very nice to see a business-oriented blog showing how privacy protection nests with commercial interests and good government.

##### Related Tags 

[Constitutional Law](https://www.cato.org/constitutional-law), [Technology and Privacy](https://www.cato.org/technology-privacy), [Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies](https://www.cato.org/robert-levy-center-constitutional-studies) 

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