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Judge orders tech company to release Web user data from anti-Trump website

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Judge orders tech company to release Web user data from anti-Trump website

#61

Post by nnfy »

alansammarone wrote: post #33

Every week we're seeing more and more news like that - whether its the government or internet companies - in which people's right to privacy and to freedom online are being severely threatened. I'm not an american, but I grew up seeing the USA as an example of freedom and progress. It's very sad that this is becoming less and less true every passing day. We must build a decentralised web. Now.

The outrage on this site is more selective than I would have anticipated. If you think your rights have only been eroded over the last few weeks, you've been drinking kool-aid.

Re: Judge orders tech company to release Web user data from anti-Trump website

#62

Post by fraserharris »

mnm1 wrote: post #36

Dreamhost is a hosting provider. Why do they keep these records in the first place and especially over six months later? It seems to me that there will be a big market for hosts that don't keep such logs or delete them after a specified period where they might be useful to debug issues (24-48hrs).

They received a preservation order requiring they do not delete the logs for this domain for period of time prior to the inauguration.

Re: Judge orders tech company to release Web user data from anti-Trump website

#63

Post by belovedeagle »

KZeillmann wrote: post #5
koolba wrote: post #3

> Prosecutors John Borchert and Jennifer Kerkhoff argued that their request had to be somewhat broad because they have no idea who was associated with the rioting through the website until they review the data. For people who think this is wrong, assuming you accept the premise that they should be investigating rioters, what alternative is there to find out who they are?

When you request the records of 1.3 million people in an effort to find the identities of about 200, that feels ridiculously broad. I'm not sure what they're hoping to find, but it seems like security camera footage would be much more useful than this action, which seems to look more like cracking down on political dissent.

But when you request the records of 1.3 million conspirators to riot and commit other terrorist acts, in order to find the 200 who actually did, that's quite reasonable. The stated goal of the website was terrorism (shutting down bridges, checkpoints, etc.). Every single account is quite likely to be evidence of conspiracy.

Re: Judge orders tech company to release Web user data from anti-Trump website

#64

Post by jeffdavis »

jdavis703 wrote: post #38

I'm not really surprised at this. I was in DC for the inauguration at an officially permitted protest. Afterwards I'm heading back on the Metro with a small sign saying "illegitimate president." When I get to the platform level there are several armed people in camoflauge, I'm assuming military, but I'm not 100% positive. I'm told by one of them that I need to leave the station immediately. I responded "is this a jok…

I don't approve of scaring people like that of course.

But it's possible that they thought you were carrying the protest on into the train station or some other place which they had safety concerns about.

Re: Judge orders tech company to release Web user data from anti-Trump website

#65

Post by SomeStupidPoint »

dingo_bat wrote: post #56
Taek wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Should we not be outraged though? Everything listed in both the patent and the grandparent is worrying to me. I feel like I owe 80% of my identity to my activities and time on the Internet. Many my age feel the same. My home is under attack.

The thing is that it has been under attack for a long time now, and acting as if some new threat is active is disingenuous and partisan.

I don't think people are acting as if it's a new threat, but rather alarmed that it's reached the levels it has.

That is new, even if it has been ramping up a long time.

Re: Judge orders tech company to release Web user data from anti-Trump website

#66

Post by qrbLPHiKpiux »

jakebasile wrote: post #8

There's lots of disturbing internet precedents being set in the last few weeks, both legal and corporate policy. I try not to be hyperbolic but I really am beginning to worry about the future of freedom of expression and association on the net.

And people don't care. Their pocket devices keep them engaged on what content providers want them engaged on. They can't see through it all.

Re: Judge orders tech company to release Web user data from anti-Trump website

#67

Post by khazhoux »

ArchReaper wrote: post #22
koolba wrote: post #3

> Prosecutors John Borchert and Jennifer Kerkhoff argued that their request had to be somewhat broad because they have no idea who was associated with the rioting through the website until they review the data. For people who think this is wrong, assuming you accept the premise that they should be investigating rioters, what alternative is there to find out who they are?

I hope this is an opportunity for you to learn and not just me wasting my time addressing a troll. >what alternative is there to find out who they are? That's not the question you should be asking. The question you should be asking yourself is "why am I OK with violating the 4th amendment rights of millions of citizens"

That was very patronizing. Everyone's time is valuable, and personally I choose to believe that Hacker News is NOT a troll destination, but made up of smart people with (on occasion) diverse opinions.

More to the point: the question he SHOULD he asking is "Does the government actually have a legitimate and constitutionally-sound need for this information?" If "yes", then his question follows ("What alternatives exist for getting this info?")

Your question, on the other hand, presupposes that it's indeed a violation of 4th amendment. Which it may well and likely is (sure seems like it!)... but the first question that has to be answered is whether this is a violation or not.

Re: Judge orders tech company to release Web user data from anti-Trump website

#68

Post by andy_ppp »

ptero wrote: post #42
andy_ppp wrote: post #4

This is terrifying; am I reading it correctly that the government is, on behalf of the President, going after people who have opposed him and is starting a register maybe of those persons who hurt the feelings of the glorious leader? I wonder how far down the rabbit hole we are going :-(

While I am strongly opposed to this warrant as being ridiculously too broad, I think you are off the mark. The government is not investigating those who hurt Trump's feelings (does he have any? sorry :) ). It is the law enforcement that is going after violent rioters whatever their political views are. I hope it does and keeps doing it every time there is a violent riot. To me, the problem is in trying to grab a lot…

Hmmmm. Seems like a really really big coincidence, but okay. I presume this information will be released by the court once it’s used in evidence or can it be sealed only for this dubious case.

Re: Judge orders tech company to release Web user data from anti-Trump website

#69

Post by nnfy »

>Prosecutors’ original request in July would have yielded IP addresses for about 1.3 million users of the site, court filings show.

Whether I agree or not, here is another example of sensationalism which has made me distrustful of news media. How many of those "1.3m users" were actually unique?

Re: Judge orders tech company to release Web user data from anti-Trump website

#70

Post by [deleted] »

Taek wrote: post #37
to_bpr wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More accurately we're entering a new era of politically slanted selective memories. See: The bulk phone data collection programs instituted by the Patriot Act, the vast expansion of NSA data collection (of us all) under the Obama administration, the straight-to-the-wire tapping of critical internet infrastructure and providers such as Google, Microsoft etc. enabled by the establishment of the secret FISA court which…

Should we not be outraged though? Everything listed in both the patent and the grandparent is worrying to me. I feel like I owe 80% of my identity to my activities and time on the Internet. Many my age feel the same. My home is under attack.

[deleted]
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