AZKing
03-11-2011, 05:14 PM
A federal law allows prosecutors to obtain certain electronic data without a search warrant. In this case, the Twitter users say the government is abusing the law in a way that harms constitutional protections for free speech and association.
The Stored Communications Act allows prosecutors to obtain certain electronic data without a search warrant or a demonstration of probable cause.
But in a ruling issued Friday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Theresa Carroll Buchanan said the government's request was reasonable and did nothing to hamper the Twitter users' free speech rights.
"The freedom of association does not shield members from cooperating with legitimate government investigations," Buchanan wrote in her 20-page opinion.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/mar/11/us-wikileaks-investigation/
http://www.salon.com/news/wikileaks/?story=/news/feature/2011/03/11/wikileaks_investigation_twitter_release_account_in formation
The Stored Communications Act allows prosecutors to obtain certain electronic data without a search warrant or a demonstration of probable cause.
But in a ruling issued Friday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Theresa Carroll Buchanan said the government's request was reasonable and did nothing to hamper the Twitter users' free speech rights.
"The freedom of association does not shield members from cooperating with legitimate government investigations," Buchanan wrote in her 20-page opinion.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/mar/11/us-wikileaks-investigation/
http://www.salon.com/news/wikileaks/?story=/news/feature/2011/03/11/wikileaks_investigation_twitter_release_account_in formation