ACLU And EFF Want To Find Out Who Rolled Over When Gov't Came Calling For Info About Wikileaks

from the who-didn't-protect-its-users dept

Mon, May 23rd 2011 6:46am — Mike Masnick

While there's been plenty of attention paid to the US government's attempt, using a 2703(d) order (sorta like a subpoena, but not quite), to get info from Twitter on certain users who had a connection to Wikileaks, one of things that we pointed out at the time was the only reason we knew about the orders to Twitter was because Twitter fought the order. We wondered who else received such orders and just rolled over and handed over the data.

It appears that the ACLU and the EFF are asking the same question.

While (of course) it would appear that such info is being kept totally secret by the US government, those two organizations scanned the case numbers to determine that it appears four other similar orders were issued at the same time as Twitter's order -- and they'd like to know who those orders went to, in order to defend the users' right to privacy. The argument seems pretty sound here. Since these users are currently fighting the government's attempt to have Twitter hand over their info, shouldn't they have the right to fight against other services handing over their info?

Of course, the end result of this will almost certainly be a revelation of which four online services simply rolled over rather than defending their users' rights. Anyone want to take guesses as to who's on that list?

Filed Under: government, privacy, subpoena, wikileaks
Companies: aclu, eff, twitter, wikileaks

23 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

martyburns (profile), 23 May 2011 @ 6:52am

Skype, Facebook MySpace?
Those are my votes..
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- martyburns (profile), 23 May 2011 @ 6:53am
  
  Re: Skype, Facebook MySpace?
  oh, and LinkedIn.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
ts, 23 May 2011 @ 7:00am

Was it Sony?
Oh wait, Sony doesn't give out customer info.. they just let people come in and take what they want.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2011 @ 7:19am

"Of course, the end result of this will almost certainly be a revelation of which four online services simply rolled over rather than defending their users' rights."

Wikileaks?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
weneedhelp (profile), 23 May 2011 @ 7:20am

But but but...Customers might sue
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110511/02463914240/fbi-customers-might-sue-if-they-knew-companies -were-helping-with-wiretaps.shtml
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2011 @ 7:27am

I'm guessing it was Facebook, Facebook, Facebook, and Facebook.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Dark Helmet (profile), 23 May 2011 @ 7:31am

France?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Capitalist Lion Tamer (profile), 23 May 2011 @ 7:39am
  
  Re:
  But they spoofed themselves as "Belgium."
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Nom du Clavier (profile), 23 May 2011 @ 8:08am
    
    Re: Re:
    You really shouldn't use that word except in a serious screenplay.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2011 @ 10:34am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Which one? spoof or Belgium?
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Nom du Clavier (profile), 23 May 2011 @ 11:48am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Belgium, per Douglas Adams' eternal words of wisdom. (section E4.1 of the FAQ)
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Vincent Clement (profile), 23 May 2011 @ 7:48am

On one hand, politicians publicly chastise corporations for privacy intrusions and policies. Then, on the other hand, they don't stop government agencies from trampling all over the privacy of a user.

"Hey, Sony and Facebook, we are mad at you for the hacks and privacy intrusions and poor privacy policies. Bad bad companies. Oh, while we have you here, we have to give you these 2703(d) orders. And if the police knock on your door, don't make any noise, since that is all the justification they need to enter your office. Thanks."
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- CommonSense, 23 May 2011 @ 8:33am
  
  Re:
  It's what I like to call, the Nixon Complex. Politicians want to fix everything wrong with the world, but when they get into office, they forget to look at themselves as something wrong with the world. They think that if it's them doing something, it can't be wrong.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2011 @ 7:54am

Techdirt
Masnick, you doomed us all!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Friendly Stalker, 23 May 2011 @ 8:16am

My bets are on....
Jacob and Birgitta use gmail and other google services heavily. I would bet google rolled over, or made the govt request the data in a different manner. The google datastore is just too good and big to pass up. Jacob has an android phone, who is his phone company?

These are the places to start first.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2011 @ 9:34am
  
  Re: My bets are on....
  The Goog is first on my list as well. Facebook is #2.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- And another stalker, 23 May 2011 @ 11:54am
  
  Re: My bets are on....
  Jacob Appelbaum has a secret Twitter account, "rorreoi", that is not listed on the subpoena. It's also doesn't show up on Google when you search for "Jacob Appelbaum, Twitter". You only get the "ioerror" account, and the "rorreoi" one (with is ioerror in reverse) does not show up at all.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - duh, 23 May 2011 @ 11:58am
    
    Re: Re: My bets are on....
    way to ruin that
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Bnesaladur (profile), 23 May 2011 @ 6:20pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: My bets are on....
      yeah no kidding. thanks for the help tips.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
MAC, 23 May 2011 @ 8:30am

Freedom...
Those who are willing to trade Freedom for security deserve neither.

Benjamin Franklin
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2011 @ 9:04am

AOL, MySpace, Yahoo Buzz, and ConnectU are the most likely culprits.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Joe Nonsense, 25 May 2011 @ 2:50pm

You guys are thinking too smalll...
TimeWarner, Comcast, Verizon, and Google.

Bet on it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Joe Nonsnse, 25 May 2011 @ 2:53pm

I just notice the phrase "online services"
In that case, Google, Digg, Reddit, and Facebook.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]