Saturday, June 27, 2015
How the Feds Asked Me to Rat Out Commenters - The Daily Beast
This issue highlights a pretty crappy situation, considering our 1st Amendment. Websites require registration in order to comment as to prevent anonymous garbage. Now, that registration, in effect inhibits your right to free speech...
Nick Gillispie uses the DailyBeast website to explain his frustrations:
"Reason.com, the website I edit, was recently commanded by the feds to provide information on a few commenters and not discuss it. Here’s why we’re speaking out.
Is there anything more likely to make you shit your pants out of a mix of fear and anger than getting a federal subpoena out of the blue? Well, yes, there is: getting a gag order that prohibits you from speaking publicly about that subpoena and even the gag order itself. Talk about feeling isolated and cast adrift in the home of the free. You can’t even respond honestly when someone asks, 'Are you under a court order not to speak?'"
