We have told Homeland Security that we're willing to receive the subpoena and review it, but that based on what we know, we have serious First Amendment concerns about the request itself. Multiple Supreme Court cases, including Rankin v. McPherson and Watts v. United States have made it clear that people have a First Amendment right to say that they hope the President gets shot, let alone a law enforcement agent. It may be rude and uncomfortable, but if it is not an indication of a "true threat," then it is protected. And, as such, the idea of disclosing any information about someone who was clearly engaged in rhetorical hyperbole in an internet forum, likely leading to federal agents showing up at his or her door, is quite troubling to us.
This is a huge abuse by Homeland Security. There is clear-cut precedent here protecting such speech. Hope the lawyers get this quashed.
Comments
This is a huge abuse by Homeland Security. There is clear-cut precedent here protecting such speech. Hope the lawyers get this quashed.
My apologies. The is the URL link to the main artile:
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160506/10324634363/homel...
OK, changed from https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20160506/10324634363/homel....
This links to a comment instead the main article.