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NYC Lawyers Subpoena Code

Posted by Zonk on from the just-trying-to-get-along dept.

RonMcMahon writes "Lawyers for the city of New York have subpoenaed the text message records of thousands of people involved in demonstrations at the 2004 Republican National Convention. Tad Hirsch, creator of the TXTmob code that enabled convention demonstrators to transmit messages to thousands of telephones, has been instructed to release the content of messages exchanged on the service and to identify people who sent and received messages. Hirsch argues that release of such information would be a violation of users' First Amendment and privacy rights. 'I think I have a moral responsibility to the people who use my service to protect their privacy,' said Hirsch."

8 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. LEARN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    They cannot subpoena logs that you don't keep.

    1. Re:LEARN by Richard_at_work · · Score: 3, Informative

      That was just Slashdots spin on the ruling - the effect of the judgment was 'begin logging'.

  2. Re:Subpoena? by Jeff+DeMaagd · · Score: 5, Informative

    But that's not really what is being requested. As often happens, the slash headline doesn't represent the slash article. Neither appears to represent what's said in the real article. The code wasn't subponaed, the author was. What they are looking for are lists of texters and the text contents.

  3. Re:Yahoo by Yvanhoe · · Score: 5, Informative

    Don't click this link, it is malicious.

    --
    The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
  4. Re:Anonymous political speech by timmarhy · · Score: 4, Informative
    even telling people to break the law shouldn't be illegal though, because some laws are unjust and NEED to be challenged, and that kind of freedom to challenge authority needs to be encouraged.

    frankly i grow tired of being snooped on

    --
    If you mod me down, I will become more powerful than you can imagine....
  5. Re:Why does he have the data? by GreatBunzinni · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'm far from being an expert in TXTMob but it appears that it relies on user-defined mailing lists to send and receive text messages. That's probably what the NYC lawyers are looking for.

    --
    Slashdot, fix your code or at least hire someone who is competent at it to do it for you.
  6. Re:Anonymous political speech by Ironsides · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here's the actual quote.
    "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
    soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
    -Ed Howdershelt (Author)

    --
    Fly me to the moon Let me sing among those stars Let me see what spring is like On jupiter and mars
  7. Re:Why does he have the data? by themacks · · Score: 3, Informative
    A quote from the article:

    Mr. Hirsch says that some of the subpoenaed material no longer exists and that he believes he has the right to keep other information secret.
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    i read about it in a blog once