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PA Seizes Newspaper's Computers
twitter writes "Computer equipment from the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal was seized for alleged improper data access and disclosure. From the article: 'If the reporters used the Web site without authorization, officials say, they may have committed a crime.' Journalist are understandably upset that confidential information, that has nothing to do with the investigation, will be found and used for retribution."
The paper doesn't seem to be denying accessing the site, merely if it had been given permission. The only possible reason for this would be to check who accessed the site using the login and when, something which the government's own server logs should reveal.
Um...no. When talking to a reporter you're not protected in any way. It's not like talking to a lawyer or a doctor...or even a clergyman for that matter. Reporters are threatened all the time with contempt-of-court unless they give up their sources. When was the last time a lawyer was threatened with contempt unless he spilled everything his client told him about a crime? It's privileged. That's protected. Talking to some yahoo who thinks he's the next Woodward & Bernstein from the Washington Post isn't privledged.
Of course, I'm not a lawyer, so I could be totally wrong about all this. Take my advice when I say: "Don't take my advice".
"Leo Fender was in a 'state of grace' when he designed the Stratocaster." -- Paul Reed Smith
That's why I just bought an external NAS drive with encryption. If it lost power, it locks and can't be unlocked until the encryption key is re-entered. They may be able to delete my data, but they can't access it. As an additonal security, the little drive is hung remotely off the lan. Finding it to take it could be a challange.
Check out the Simple Tech SimpleShare NAS. Drop it in the janitor closet someplace locked.
The truth shall set you free!
And presumably that unrelated confidential information wouldn't fall under the scope of the warrant. But the cops *definitely* have enough for a warrant. They have traced blatantly illegal activity back to a computer and seized it. Any private citizen would have faced the same. Freedom of the press isn't a blanket right to break the law with complete impunity and immunity.
I mean, think about what you're saying. It's like saying anyone with confidential information in their house (ie, everyone) shouldn't ever be subject to a legal, warranted search. There are mechanisms to restrict the scope of warrants.
In general, if one is worried about such confidential information, I'd strongly suggest not doing completely illegal shit with the computer containing it.