Trump’s Department of Justice has requested personal information on 1.3 million visitors to an anti-Trump website that was used to organize protests against the President, according to Dreamhost, a web hosting provider.
Dreamhost, based out of Los Angeles, has apparently been working with the Department of Justice but has protested the government’s request as going “too far under the Constitution.” If the web hosting provider complied fully with the DoJ’s request, it would amount to handing over 1.3 million visitor IP addresses, as well as “names, addresses, telephone numbers and other identifiers, e-mail addresses, business information, the length of service (including start date), means and source of payment for services (including any credit card or bank account number), and information about any domain name registration.”
The DoJ’s warrant alleged that this information is necessary because “authorities will seize any information constitution violations of D.C. code governing riots that involve individuals connected to the protests on Inauguration Day.”
In a blog post published today, Dreamhost issued a grave warning:
“That information could be used to identify any individuals who used this site to exercise and express political speech protected under the Constitution’s First Amendment. That should be enough to set alarm bells off in anyone’s mind.”
Chris Ghazarian, the company’s general counsel, also weighed in on the request:
“In essence, the Search Warrant not only aims to identify the political dissidents of the current administration, but attempts to identify and understand what content each of these dissidents viewed on the website.”
The fact that a supposed “populist” President has launched a campaign that so blatantly takes aim at political dissidents is not only illegal but decidedly un-American. Trump’s Department of Justice may think they can quell dissent against his archaic, vile agenda by threatening the seizure of private information, but it will only serve to inflame the already ardent anti-Trump sentiment enveloping the country.
Add your name to millions demanding that Congress take action on the President’s crimes. IMPEACH DONALD TRUMP!
Rebuta on August 15th, 2017 at 09:31 UTC »
Wat site? Lets visit
TragicDonut on August 15th, 2017 at 07:49 UTC »
There's no context where I would find this okay.
krepitus on August 15th, 2017 at 06:43 UTC »
Well, damn. I'm on another list it seems.