Warning: All 640,000+ @WikiLeaks Followers Now Subject to U.S. Government Subpoena Of Twitter

By ralph on January 10, 2011 in News 33

Zack Whittaker writes on ZDNet:

The US government has subpoenaed Twitter in a bid to support an ongoing criminal investigation into whether Wikileaks and people involved or connected to Wikileaks, including an Icelandic member of parliament, broke the law.

According to Wikileaks lawyer Mark Stephens live on the BBC News a short time ago, it is believed Facebook and Google (see here) have also been contacted regarding Wikileaks members and potential whistleblowers.

Update (12:20am GMT): Mark Stephens on the BBC News also makes clear that the court order will also cover the “600,000 odd followers that Wikileaks has on Twitter“.

The order asks specifically for names of those attached to selected accounts, user and screen names, and any registered mailing or postal addresses. It also asks for email addresses, credit card details where possible, and even content relating to connected mobile phones.

The server logs which could identify the computer and geographical location of where even private messages were sent from have also been ordered to be handed over.

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Liam_McGonagle

HOLY SHIT! 640,000?! We’re gonna have to schedule our depositions on a Thursday, when it’s less busy and we’re all more likely to make it.

I can stop by with a van for anyone that needs a ride into the FBI office, but I’m gonna need someone to chip in for gas. I’ve only got enough in the tank to last me through Ohio right now.

It may be a little crowded, so all is ask is that you let my dog Chief sit near the window. He got wicked car sick last time I had to drive to D.C. on a deposition.
- Hadrian999
  
  i say start a movement, go viral make 10 fake twitter accounts and follow wikileaks and get all your friends to do the same then they have their friends do it………..
Liam_McGonagle

HOLY SHIT! 640,000?! We’re gonna have to schedule our depositions on a Thursday, when it’s less busy and we’re all more likely to make it.

I can stop by with a van for anyone that needs a ride into the FBI office, but I’m gonna need someone to chip in for gas. I’ve only got enough in the tank to last me through Ohio right now.

It may be a little crowded, so all is ask is that you let my dog Chief sit near the window. He got wicked car sick last time I had to drive to D.C. on a deposition.
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Subpoena_boy

When Wikileaks gave this warning yesterday, they had about 637,000 followers now they have even more followers: 640,256 – seems that they don´t give a F**k
Subpoena_boy

When Wikileaks gave this warning yesterday, they had about 637,000 followers now they have even more followers: 640,256 – seems that they don´t give a F**k
emperorreagan

I read al Jazeera, the NYT, the Guardian and Der Spiegel on a frequent basis, but I don’t really use my twitter account. When’s my turn to be subpoenaed?
- Liam_McGonagle
  
  Y’know what? In the patriotic interest of saving the country some moolah, maybe we should all just volunatarily show up at the FBI HQ in Washington–at once. Yeah, it’d be a trek for most of us, but if we pitch in for gas and take turns driving it might not be that big of a deal. Could make a bit of a party out of it. Stop off at the Quickie Mart first for a couple of brewskis and some snaks . . .
  - http://twitter.com/KMenex Kyle Milliken
    
    i would come with you.
emperorreagan

I read al Jazeera, the NYT, the Guardian and Der Spiegel on a frequent basis, but I don’t really use my twitter account. When’s my turn to be subpoenaed?
Liam_McGonagle

Y’know what? In the patriotic interest of saving the country some moolah, maybe we should all just volunatarily show up at the FBI HQ in Washington–at once. Yeah, it’d be a trek for most of us, but if we pitch in for gas and take turns driving it might not be that big of a deal. Could make a bit of a party out of it. Stop off at the Quickie Mart first for a couple of brewskis and some snaks . . .
quartz99

So… while I wouldn’t put this past the government, I’m not sure I see how that subpoena covers all the followers unless they’ve exchanged messages with one of those selected accounts, and if they’ve exchanged messages, that’s actually pretty standard in subpoenaing activity of a suspect. Looking for information on five people’s activity =/= “640,000 twitter users getting subpoenaed!!”
Anonymous

So… while I wouldn’t put this past the government, I’m not sure I see how that subpoena covers all the followers unless they’ve exchanged messages with one of those selected accounts, and if they’ve exchanged messages, that’s actually pretty standard in subpoenaing activity of a suspect. Looking for information on five people’s activity =/= “640,000 twitter users getting subpoenaed!!”
dumbsaint

Time to change some personal info: Name: suck-my-balls Surname: you-govt-stooge
Anonymous

Time to change some personal info: Name: suck-my-balls Surname: you-govt-stooge
Hadrian999

i say start a movement, go viral make 10 fake twitter accounts and follow wikileaks and get all your friends to do the same then they have their friends do it………..
http://voxmagi-necessarywords.blogspot.com/ VoxMagi

This may actually be what it takes for me to take up twitter. Traditionally, being a rabid iconoclast, I eschew a lot of popular movements/concepts/activities and hover around the edge, observing from a neutral distance. But if twitterfeeds to Wikileaks worry the master class that much…it just makes me want to do it. Ban a book, I’ll read it…lambaste a musician…I’ll listen at least once…slam an artist…I can’t help having a look. I feel a little embarrassed about being so easy to manipulate in that respect…but I can scarcely help the urge to decide for myself through experience whenever someone else levels disapproval and discouragement against something.
- grooveboss
  
  keep talking
http://voxmagi-necessarywords.blogspot.com/ VoxMagi

This may actually be what it takes for me to take up twitter. Traditionally, being a rabid iconoclast, I eschew a lot of popular movements/concepts/activities and hover around the edge, observing from a neutral distance. But if twitterfeeds to Wikileaks worry the master class that much…it just makes me want to do it. Ban a book, I’ll read it…lambaste a musician…I’ll listen at least once…slam an artist…I can’t help having a look. I feel a little embarrassed about being so easy to manipulate in that respect…but I can scarcely help the urge to decide for myself through experience whenever someone else levels disapproval and discouragement against something.
grooveboss

keep talking
http://drwho.virtadpt.net/ The Doctor

I wonder if they know what they’re getting themselves into. They’re going to get a lot of noise and not a whole lot of signal by requesting a list of all of the Twitter accounts following that of Wikileaks due to the “Oh, shiny!” effect of people who compulsively follow accounts that they see retweets from. They’re also asking for IP addresses; that’s going to be a flood due to many-to-one mapping (i.e., who knows how many people NATted through a single IP address). On top of that, there are the people who just follow that Twitter feed with RSS.

The DoJ could just go to https://twitter.com/wikileaks/followers and get a lot of the information they need themselves. Maybe they could hire a contractor or two to write a Python script to pull the data using the Twitter API and format it all pretty-like for them.
- http://twitter.com/KMenex Kyle Milliken
  
  That would not be as big cockish
Anonymous

I wonder if they know what they’re getting themselves into. They’re going to get a lot of noise and not a whole lot of signal by requesting a list of all of the Twitter accounts following that of Wikileaks due to the “Oh, shiny!” effect of people who compulsively follow accounts that they see retweets from. They’re also asking for IP addresses; that’s going to be a flood due to many-to-one mapping (i.e., who knows how many people NATted through a single IP address). On top of that, there are the people who just follow that Twitter feed with RSS.

The DoJ could just go to https://twitter.com/wikileaks/followers and get a lot of the information they need themselves. Maybe they could hire a contractor or two to write a Python script to pull the data using the Twitter API and format it all pretty-like for them.
http://www.facebook.com/gary.dray Gary Dray

Welcome to the Fascist State Of Amorica where you are now Owned by Big Brother.
- http://twitter.com/KMenex Kyle Milliken
  
  im willing to be prosecuted and put in jail for merely following wiki leaks…
  
  just give me math books and paper and pen and i’m good.
  
  oh… and also a computer if thats possible. tI-89 works too
- Iiii
  
  Check your spelling while you’re at it. *shakes head in sheer disbelieve*
http://www.facebook.com/gary.dray Gary Dray

Welcome to the Fascist State Of Amorica where you are now Owned by Big Brother.
Ranandar

So now reading news makes you an enemy of the state?
Nixon would be proud!
Ranandar

So now reading news makes you an enemy of the state?
Nixon would be proud!
http://twitter.com/KMenex Kyle Milliken

i would come with you.
http://twitter.com/KMenex Kyle Milliken

That would not be as big cockish
http://twitter.com/KMenex Kyle Milliken

im willing to be prosecuted and put in jail for merely following wiki leaks…

just give me math books and paper and pen and i’m good.

oh… and also a computer if thats possible. tI-89 works too
Iiii

Check your spelling while you’re at it. *shakes head in sheer disbelieve*