1Secret Requests For Search Records Through Patriot Act Ruled Unconstitutional
7 September 2007
A US district court judge has ruled that it is unconstitutional for the US
government to send secret letters demanding search records from search engines.
A provision of the Patriot Act has allowed for such letters to be sent to search
engines, ISPs and others by the Federal Bureau Of Investigation — and made it
illegal for companies getting such FBI demands to even reveal the requests at
all in general. Today’s ruling found that violated free speech rights.
Judge deals blow to
Patriot Act from News.com and
Judge fails to see patriotic side of FBI gags on Net service providers from
Good Morning Silicon Valley have good rundowns on the decision, which is
expected to be appealed. It’s not clear whether companies that received such
demands can now reveal them or if they must wait until the case works through
higher courts.