Google Searches Play Role In Murder Trial

If Robert Petrick is convicted of murder, his use of Google may be the key piece of evidence that convicts him. I guess it's not a good idea to search for "neck snap break" just before your wife is killed. Petrick is defending himself in Durham, N.C., in his wife's murder trial. Other Google searches, such as for the depth and topography of the lake his wife's body was found, were presented at the trial as well. So was a document he downloaded, titled "22 ways to kill a man with your bare hands." Emails that may have implied he was having an affair were found as well.

Those searches and documents were found when investigators examined Petrick's hard disk. But if Petrick had used a Google search history service, then those searches could have been found by issuing a subpoena to Google. And there lies something for everyone to think about.

Google has a feature that allows you to keep a history of your searches, stored on the search giant's servers. That way, wherever you are, you can call up your past searches. And if the searches are cleared from your computer, you can always get to them with the search history feature.

But that also means that others can view that history. Google, of course, tries to protect your privacy. But how about the government?

No doubt, you have no plans of murdering your spouse, and you most likely don't do searches for "neck snap break." But keep in mind laws like the Patriot Act, that lets the feds peer deep into just about every aspect of your life. The FBI has been using that law these days against regular citizens, not just terrorists.So while the Google search history feature is a very useful one, the next time you use it, realize it makes it more likely that others, including the federal government, can find out what you've been searching for.