Judge Rules That Twitter Must Hand Over Information On WikiLeaks Supporters - RawStory

[WillyT]

Judge rules that Twitter must hand over information on WikiLeaks supporters
By Muriel Kane - RawStory
Friday, January 6, 2012



<snip>

A year ago this week, it was learned that a US grand jury had secretly issued subpoenas for the Twitter account information of several WikiLeaks supporters.

The subpoenas have been held up by challenges from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, but now U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady has ruled that Twitter must provide the data, reasoning that the grand jury investigation is being delayed and that he does not believe the challenge is likely to succeed.

“Litigation of these issues has already denied the government lawful access to potential evidence for more than a year,” O’Grady stated. “The public interest therefore weighs strongly against further delay.”

...

The information is being sought under a law which originally provided for government access to telephone billing records and which allows it to demand full contact information for the Twitter account, including all known email addresses, the IP addresses used to access the account, times and durations of connections to the account, and information on data transfers. (Much of this information, of course, is either not relevant to Twitter or not retrievable.)

<snip>

More: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/06/judge-rules-that-twitter-must-hand-over-information-on-wikileaks-supporters/

[tblue]

1. How long before they want to know who gives to DU?

Under a Repub administration, it's very possible. And with the legal indefinite detention of Americans, anything is possible.

Turning into a police state inch by inch. We really have to stand against this encroachment of personal privacy and freedom of assembly, no matter who the current target is. Next target could be any of us.

[Fumesucker]

3. How do you know they don't already know?

[saras]

6. You mean DU doesn't have sense to not keep subpoena-able records? Shit.

[Fumesucker]

7. The feds are recording every damn byte that goes over the intertubes..

If they want to know who's contributing to DU it's only a matter of data mining to find out.

[tblue]

2. Too bad Wikileaks isn't a Super PAC.

Anonymity for those donors is cool.

That irony just hit me.

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. Bush Jr Appointee

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liam_O'Grady

[T S Justly]

5. The Judiciary is working hand-in-glove with the Executive ...

Not good.

[sunwukong]

8. Judge demands Wikileaks supporter information.

I thought that this was all settled in citizens united. Money donated to Wikileaks is protected speech. Instead of wishing Wikileaks had a super pac lets get started on creating one. Any lawyers listening??