TECH. NEWS

Google kept search warrant information from WikiLeaks.

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WIKILEAKS has made an official complaint about what it sees as underhand tattle tonguing from Google and accused the firm of handing over WikiLeaks staffers' digital doodahs to their detriment.

A letter from the puff-cheeked whistleblowing outfit slams Google for apparently not struggling to resist demands from the US government and not letting WikiLeaks know that such things were happening.

WikiLeaks says that warrants were served on its staffers' info in 2012, but that the organisation heard about this only recently.

WikiLeaks suggests that if the group had had more of a clue it would have been in a better position to defend itself.

"WikiLeaks' lawyers have written to Google and the US Department of Justice concerning a serious violation of the privacy and journalistic rights of WikiLeaks' staff," it said.

"Investigations editor Sarah Harrison, section editor Joseph Farrell and senior journalist and spokesperson Kristinn Hrafnsson have received notice that Google had handed over all their emails and metadata to the US government on the back of alleged 'conspiracy' and 'espionage' warrants carrying up to 45 years in prison."

As if that wasn't enough Wikileaks has also cottoned on to facts about the US case against head honcho Julian Assange, who is in a heck of a lot of trouble.

"Importantly, the warrants reveal for the first time a clear list of the alleged offences the US government is trying to apply in its attempts to build a prosecution against Julian Assange and other WikiLeaks staff," it added. "The offences add up to a total of 45 years of imprisonment."

Google, which releases regular transparency reports and blogs about its efforts to limit and resist sharing, gave us its response in a short statement.

"We don't talk about individual cases. Obviously, we follow the law like any other company. When we receive a subpoena or court order, we check to see if it meets the letter and the spirit of the law before complying," said a spokesperson.

"And if it doesn't we can object or ask that the request is narrowed. We have a track record of advocating on behalf of our users."

Google's transparency pages offer some additional information, including that the firm can sometimes keep information from a subjector when a statute or court order tells it to.