>>>>http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/08/government-knocking-doors-because-google-searches/67864/
>>>
>>>This is pretty dubious journalism.
>>>The picture leads us to believe that the cops in the picture are the ones referred to in the story.
>>>We read down a bit and we find that the picture has nothing to do with the story.
>>>That would flunk this story in any course on journalism.
>>>The report is taking the word of one person ("a professional writer")
>>>I followed the "professional writer" link the story supplied and found some pretty weird stuff, so I'd like to know a little more about this writer before drawing any conclusions.
>>>Did anyone ask the police for ID?
>>>We get a report from the Guardian that someone at the FBI said that it was the Suffolk County police but no one can confirm that.
>>>That's not much of a confirmation.
>>>I have friends and family in both the Nassau and Suffolk PD's.
>>>They're pretty fanatic about personal freedoms and go out of their way to protect them.
>>>I'm taking this one with a pound of salt.
>>
>>More info at http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/08/02/michele_catalano_home_visit_after_googling_backpacks_and_pressure_cookers/
>
>I'm a little confused about what is supposed to have happened here.
>
>The guy googles 'backpack' from work. His boss spots it and notifies the cops - but searching on 'backpack' isn't much grounds to start an investigation.
>
>Who then discovered, and linked, the fact that his wife had googled 'pressure cooker'.

That seems to be the gist of it. Since the Boston Marathon event (pressure cooker bombs in backpacks) "backpack" is a loaded term, especially on the US East Coast.

We're starting to see a mindset where "notifying the cops" in situations like this is considered a good, even noble deed. As has been amply shown in the past, an increase in informers and the rise of a police state go hand-in-hand.