AfterDawn: News

Judge: Google must comply with FBI warrantless requests for user details

In news that has big repercussions for American citizens, a federal judge has ruled that Google must comply with the FBI's warrantless "National Security Letters" in which they request user details.

The search giant had been trying to get 19 of such letters thrown out, claiming the demands are unconstitutional.



U.S. District Judge Susan Illston made the ruling after a high-ranking assistant director at the FBI submitted classified affidavits.

The trial is very important, as the FBI has made 192,499 such demands since 2003, to Google and other companies that hold sensitive personal data for Americans. Illston did not completely shut down Google either, as the company is allowed to bring the case again, but this time they will need arguments "specific to the 19 NSLs at issue." Additionally, two of the 19 NSLs will require more information from the government before they can be ruled on, says the Judge.

NSLs, which remain of questionable constitutionality, allow FBI officials to send secret requests to ISPs, telcos and companies like Google and Facebook requesting the "name, address, length of service" (and some other details) for anyone they choose, without the need for a judge's approval. Additionally, the companies cannot disclose such requests to those they are disclosing info about.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 1 Jun 2013 17:08

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• 18 comments

• A5J4DX

  bs.com
  

  1.6.2013 18:47 #1

• Morreale

  Land of the free.

  1.6.2013 20:27 #2

• Jemborg

  "...the FBI has made 192,499 such demands since 2003..."
  
  WTF?
  
  Without a warrant? How is that possible that a Judge would ever rule that permissible when the very constitution is called into question?
  

  Its a lot easier being righteous than right.
  
  
  

  2.6.2013 00:23 #3

• Justoneguy

  I wonder how long it will be before the FBI starts submitting requests like this to Microsoft following the Xbox one release. With the kinect being able to recognize voice and facial features, it wouldn't surprise me they way they are abusing laws like the patriot act in guise of our security. Am I being a little paranoid, or a bit of a conspiracy nut? Probably, but it wouldn't surprise me the way things are going.

  2.6.2013 05:16 #4

• Mrguss

  WTF: Judge orders google to comply with FBI requests for data; as if they weren't already doing so?
  

  +5000

  2.6.2013 14:20 #5

• megadunderhead

  Actually this is because of another issue that none of you understand there are google account holders which are doing very illegal acts including selling of children and other disgusting acts so they are just trying to prevent this from happening but the main issue still is there by giving them this information any trials that go to trial over this will be thrown out because of this one little bit of information.
  
  1. the persons or person being accused of the crime has the right to view all warrants against them because there is no warrent with a name it becomes a unlawful search and seizer which means no court trial.
  
  2. The trial lawyers can argue the same thing its unconstitutional but then in that argument they have to prove the fbi knew what the warrent was for
  

  2.6.2013 18:12 #6

• Jemborg

  Originally posted by Mrguss: WTF: Judge orders google to comply with FBI requests for data; as if they weren't already doing so? Not without a warrant it seems.
  
  @megadunderhead
  You don't have to show a warrant beforehand, only if the person is there do you notify them what your intentions are.
  

  Its a lot easier being righteous than right.
  
  
  

  2.6.2013 22:32 #7

• LordRuss

  Like all the other folks were saying, all this brouhaha is very unconstitutional. Unless the government can prove just cause for the invading emails (or whatever records) they deem fit, they can't just go rifling through files like it was Christmas morning.
  
  As obviously stated earlier, they have to painstakingly lay out what it is they're looking for or what it is they're believe to be trafficking/hiding (whatever) & get the proper permission that way. Otherwise, as we all know, the bad guys are just going to get away with another technicality & walk with their middle digits saluting & asses waving pompously like they seem to always do.
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  3.6.2013 11:21 #8

• KillerBug

  I wonder why anyone would want to attack this country...
  

  
  

  4.6.2013 03:36 #9

• Mez

  I am sure they had to 'shop around' for that judge. I suspect the reason they want it warrant-less is so they can use the info anyway they want. If the police get a warrant to search your house for drugs they can't arrest you for anything else. This is like a blank check. They can search any house for anything. That way Obama can punish his enemies and terrorist are the minority. I bet like the proverbial iceberg, 7/8s of all his dirty tricks have not been discovered. I was surprised he was going after Zionist Jews. I do not think the US has a clue who Obama really is.
  
  megadunderhead, under the patriot act all those laws are not binding. The act was passed when we trusted our government to do the right thing. There was supposed to be a watch dog group to oversee how these new powers were being used but it never got funding until VERY recently.

  8.6.2013 15:06 #10

• kutulu1

  Ha ha ha. Wlecome to the Soviet Union of Amurica....lol

  9.6.2013 20:46 #11

• Jemborg

  Originally posted by Mez: I am sure they had to 'shop around' for that judge. I suspect the reason they want it warrant-less is so they can use the info anyway they want. If the police get a warrant to search your house for drugs they can't arrest you for anything else. This is like a blank check. They can search any house for anything. That way Obama can punish his enemies and terrorist are the minority. I bet like the proverbial iceberg, 7/8s of all his dirty tricks have not been discovered. I was surprised he was going after Zionist Jews. I do not think the US has a clue who Obama really is.
  
  megadunderhead, under the patriot act all those laws are not binding. The act was passed when we trusted our government to do the right thing. There was supposed to be a watch dog group to oversee how these new powers were being used but it never got funding until VERY recently. I'm willing to bet it has nothing to do with who's in power.
  

  Its a lot easier being righteous than right.
  
  
  

  9.6.2013 21:05 #12

• Mez

  If you are betting on if Obama is no more corrupt than any other pres I would take you up on that. Obama came from Chicago the most corrupt city in the USA. The political machine controls everything. The fact that Eric Holder recused himself to protect himself when he needed to do something very illegal is unheard of. I work in DC the scuttlebutt is that the town who once thought of him as 'above it all' now thinks he is scum. The press will be over him like flies on a dead carcass. He will not be able to breath without having a and full go in his mouth. He is now a pariah and will a very hard time getting anything done. He ought to resign and let Obama talk his way out of all this. He is good at that. A few moths ago the approval rate of how the country was headed was 20% yet he still had a 70% approval rating.

  9.6.2013 22:13 #13

• Jemborg

  Whatever, but you see this sort of shit from secret gov agencies all the time.
  

  Its a lot easier being righteous than right.
  
  
  

  9.6.2013 23:03 #14

• Mez

  That's right! They all want more power. The only place they can get it is from the people. If they are stupid enough, they push till the people revolt.

  10.6.2013 21:31 #15

• oldfrench

  Just another move by the federal government to show that they can (and will) do anything they want, in the interest of National Security (as demonstrated by the recently made public secret data acquisitions from giant corps like Verizon).
  
  Its no wonder we are seeing citizens, even state governments, trending toward pulling away from the concept of ONE NATION under God, INDIVISIBLE.
  
  Big Brother is not coming - hes here, and been here for some time, and not ever going away!

  16.6.2013 14:39 #16

• kutulu1

  Microsoft and Facebook just came clean and admitted to giving the US spy agencies everyones personal data. So much for not being like Iran...lol

  16.6.2013 14:51 #17

• ps355528

  now do you remember me telling you what they were up to back in 2005?
  
  spent a large part of the last weekend biting my tongue while a fekkin retard was harping on about more police powers and grassing people up on no more "evidence" than their imagination.. and wondering why I was slowly getting more and more angry.. It's confirmed.. the general public are fuckin retards and deserve the death camps and gulags they are voting for to order.. count me out.. I'll die before I submit to the bastards.. see you on the burning barricades in 2015
  

  
  
  ARR! Them pesky Navy! Get out of my sea!
  irc://irc.villageirc.net/afterdawn http://www.pirateparty.org.uk/

  18.6.2013 23:51 #18