[x-pubpol] Fwd: EFF: Privacy Loses in Twitter/Wikileaks Records Battle

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Begin forwarded message:

*From:* EFF Press <press at eff.org>
*Date:* November 10, 2011 5:00:02 PM EST
*To:* presslist at eff.org
*Subject:* *[E-B] EFF: Privacy Loses in Twitter/Wikileaks Records Battle*
*Reply-To:* press at eff.org

Electronic Frontier Foundation Media Release

For Immediate Release: Thursday, November 10, 2011

Contact:

Rebecca Jeschke
 Media Relations Director
 Electronic Frontier Foundation
  press at eff.org
 +1 415 436-9333 x125

Privacy Loses in Twitter/Wikileaks Records Battle

Ruling Allows U.S. Government Warrantless Access to Users'
Data

San Francisco - A district court judge in Virginia ruled
against online privacy today, allowing U.S federal
investigators to collect private records of three Twitter
users as part of its investigation related to Wikileaks.
The judge also blocked the users' attempt to discover
whether other Internet companies have been ordered to turn
their data over to the government.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the American
Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) represent Icelandic
parliamentarian Birgitta Jonsdottir in this case.
Jonsdottir has appealed an earlier ruling with fellow
Twitter users Jacob Appelbaum and Rop Gonggrijp.

"With this decision, the court is telling all users of
online tools hosted in the U.S. that the U.S. government
will have secret access to their data," said Jonsdottir.
"People around the world will take note, and since they can
easily move their data to companies who host it in
locations that better protect their privacy than the U.S.
does, I expect that many will do so.  I am very
disappointed in today's ruling because it is a huge
backward step for the United States' legacy of freedom of
expression and the right to privacy."

In this case, Jonsdottir and others only found out about
the government requests for information because Twitter
took steps to notify them of the court order. EFF is urging
other companies to follow Twitter's lead, stand with their
customers, and promise to inform users when their data is
sought by the government, as part of our Who Has Your Back?
campaign.

"When you use the Internet, you entrust your online
conversations, thoughts, experiences, locations, photos,
and more to dozens of companies who host or transfer your
data," said EFF Legal Director Cindy Cohn.  "In light of
that technological reality, we are gravely worried by the
court's conclusion that records about you that are
collected by Internet services like Twitter, Facebook,
Skype and Google are fair game for warrantless searches by
the government."

Attorneys for Jonsdottir are Aden Fine of the ACLU, Rebecca
Glenberg of the ACLU of Virginia, and Cindy Cohn, Lee Tien,
Marcia Hofmann and Kevin Bankston of EFF. The motions were
joined by attorneys from the law firm Keker & Van Nest LLP
and the Law Office of John D. Cline on behalf of Appelbaum
and Gonggrijp, respectively, as well as local counsel in
Virginia.  Jonsdottir, Appelbaum, and Gonggrijp are still
reviewing the order and considering possible next steps.

For the judge's full order:
https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/filenode/MemorandumOpinion1353.pdf

For Who Has Your Back?:
https://www.eff.org/pages/when-government-comes-knocking-who-has-your-back

For this release:
https://www.eff.org/press/releases/privacy-loses-twitterwikileaks-records-battle

About EFF

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading
organization protecting civil liberties in the digital
world. Founded in 1990, we defend free speech online, fight
illegal surveillance, promote the rights of digital
innovators, and work to ensure that the rights and freedoms
we enjoy are enhanced, rather than eroded, as our use of
technology grows. EFF is a member-supported organization.
Find out more at https://www.eff.org.






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