Some privacy watchdogs, while applauding efforts to open government, nonetheless question whether the Google initiative will make too much information available online. Many public records contain confidential information that can be used to commit identity theft. Public agencies do not have a terrific record of protecting such information.

Four states -- Arizona, California, Utah, and Virginia -- announced plans on Monday to team up with Google to improve access to public information stored on government Web sites. The initiative is intended to address the fact that while an increasing amount of state information is online, it often can be difficult for members of the public to locate.

In a statement announcing the partnerships, Eric Schmidt, Google's chairman and CEO, said that Google is involved in several efforts to help government agencies improve public access to information.

Full article: NewsFactor