Justice Dept. Asked for News Site's Visitors' List

[franksolich]

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/11/09/taking_liberties/entry5595506.shtml?tag=mncol;txt

In a case that raises questions about online journalism and privacy rights, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a formal request to an independent news site ordering it to provide details of all reader visits on a certain day.

The grand jury subpoena also required the Philadelphia-based Indymedia.us Web site "not to disclose the existence of this request" unless authorized by the Justice Department, a gag order that presents an unusual quandary for any news organization.

Kristina Clair, a 34-year old Linux administrator living in Philadelphia who provides free server space for Indymedia.us, said she was shocked to receive the Justice Department's subpoena. (The Independent Media Center is a left-of-center amalgamation of journalists and advocates that – according to their principles of unity and mission statement – work toward "promoting social and economic justice" and "social change.")

The subpoena (PDF) from U.S. Attorney Tim Morrison in Indianapolis demanded "all IP traffic to and from www.indymedia.us" on June 25, 2008. It instructed Clair to "include IP addresses, times, and any other identifying information," including e-mail addresses, physical addresses, registered accounts, and Indymedia readers' Social Security Numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, and so on.....

[Thor]

Who did they piss off??

[franksolich]

Who did they piss off??

Not a clue.

I read the whole thing, too.  Not a clue.

Odd, that Bo would go after a radical left-wing site first.

[Chris_]

Not a clue.

I read the whole thing, too.  Not a clue.

Odd, that Bo would go after a radical left-wing site first.

Sacrificial lamb, so as to provide the convenient precedent when the storm troopers start harrassing Thor, Reb and the rest for the same kinds of data?

[Eupher]

Dunno if this explains anything, but "indymedia.us" has a link on the left side of the home page that is entitled "Impeachment Campaign."

When you click on it, you get zip.

[zeitgeist]

Not a clue.

I read the whole thing, too.  Not a clue.

Odd, that Bo would go after a radical left-wing site first.

I should think the answer is obvious, he hates competition in any form.  My question is would this be an example of Outcome Based Propaganda?

Guess I will have to toddle on over to the dump in a bit an see how this goes down with the tribe.  My guess:  Sideways an sore!!   

Where is Obie's answer to Baghdad Bob, the Giblet on this??  I am sure someone at the presser will be on this like white on rice.

[NHSparky]

Keep in mind, that the subpoena was initally filed on January 23, 2009.  

Unless there's some serious evidence of a crime having been committed based on the postings there, this case needs to die, and quickly.

And according to the letter, the IP addresses for the date in question no longer exist in any case.

LINK

[franksolich]

Well, one wonders what was gong on over there on June 25, 2008, which is the date requested.  Bo wasn't even the Democrat nominee for the White House yet.

[Eupher]

Well, one wonders what was gong on over there on June 25, 2008, which is the date requested.  Bo wasn't even the Democrat nominee for the White House yet.

that was about the time that Lord Zero was flinging all kinds of diversions at the birthers, right?

[TheSarge]

Who did they piss off??

IndyMedia pisses everyone off.  They aren't real news and don't use real journalists per se.   They are more along the lines of RawStory.

Remember the Worchester branch of IndyMedia I clashed with last year?  The idiot was convinced I'd run some sort of psyops campaign against him?

They are also the @ssholes behind that American Myrmadon fake Time magazine cover.

[BlueStateSaint]

IndyMedia pisses everyone off.  They aren't real news and don't use real journalists per se.   They are more along the lines of RawStory.

Remember the Worchester branch of IndyMedia I clashed with last year?  The idiot was convinced I'd run some sort of psyops campaign against him?

They are also the @ssholes behind that American Myrmadon fake Time magazine cover.

But, Tx, Indymedia is a Left-leaning site.  Think about that one a sec.  If the minions of the Obamessiah will do that to a site that goes their way, think about what's in store for sites like CC, RedState, Townhall, etc.

[TheSarge]

But, Tx, Indymedia is a Left-leaning site.  Think about that one a sec.  If the minions of the Obamessiah will do that to a site that goes their way, think about what's in store for sites like CC, RedState, Townhall, etc.

Yeah I see your point.  I guess in this inastance Obama is being fair nd balanced in that he'll go after anyone wh doares to criticize him no matter what the political leanings of the website.

[Baruch Menachem]

Not a clue.

I read the whole thing, too.  Not a clue.

Odd, that Bo would go after a radical left-wing site first.

<tinfoil>  actually, it is not odd.   The signal for the terror in Russia was the campaign against trotsky.   The beginning of the terror in Germany was the night of the long knives in July of 34.   The first thing Castro did in 1960  was clean out his old allies from the march to Havana. It is even on schedule.    0bama can't do anything original, so he is following the script.</tinfoil>

Just one little brick and a little bit more mortar in the wall 0bama is building against our freedoms.

[USA4ME]

Having spent 2001-2003 mainly at SFIMC and LAIMC, the first thing that came to mind after reading the article was that the DOJ sent the grand jury subpoena just to freak them out.  You can't stay on their various sites too long without coming to find the individuals there are absolutely sure the gov't is monitoring their every more, that COINTELPRO is right around the corner, and that they are Public Enemy #1 and a real threat to the powers that be.  All it would take to send them into a paranoid frenzy and confirm what they already want to believe would be the DOJ wanting "private info" from IMC.  Upon defeating the subpoena, some will continue to stay paranoid, some will be convinced that IMC did cooperate with the DOJ and that IMC can no longer be trusted, others will be emboldened and think they're bulletproof.

You're dealing with real nuts here.

.

[miskie]

Keep in mind, that the subpoena was initally filed on January 23, 2009.  

Unless there's some serious evidence of a crime having been committed based on the postings there, this case needs to die, and quickly.

And according to the letter, the IP addresses for the date in question no longer exist in any case.

LINK

5 weeks is standard practice - I don't keep them beyond then either. If these logs were that important, they should have requested them right away.

[Ptarmigan]

Indymedia is full of crazies there.