Google files a legal challenge to block AG Jim Hood’s probes

This story sure escalated in a hurry. Following all the news of the MPAA’s tight relationship with Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, Google has made a filing in a Mississippi federal court seeking seeking a temporary restraining order and an injunction against Hood’s investigation. In short, Jim Hood is on a massive fishing expedition over things he doesn’t understand, over which he has no jurisdiction, for issues where Google fully complies with the law.

Search giant claims the Mississippi attorney general is overstepping his authority and carrying water for Hollywood Google filed suit in federal court in Jackson, Mississippi, this morning to block a probe being led by state attorney general Jim Hood, alleging that he’s treading in areas controlled and preempted by federal law. “Congress broadly immunized interactive computer service providers from state regulation for displaying information created by others,” write the search giant’s lawyers. Yet for the last 18 months, they allege, Hood “has threatened to prosecute, sue, or investigate Google GOOG unless it agrees to block from its search engine, YouTube video-sharing site, and advertising systems, third-party content (i.e., websites, videos, or ads not created by Google) that the Attorney General deems objectionable.”