🗣 Homeland Security Wants Names | EFFector 38.3
Summary
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reportedly using "administrative subpoenas" to request user data, including names and locations, from tech companies. The EFF is providing guidance on how companies can resist these requests and highlighting efforts to protect privacy and free speech online. The EFFector newsletter covers this and other related topics.
IFF Assessment
DHS using administrative subpoenas to obtain user data is a negative development for privacy and potentially free speech.
Severity
Defender Context
This highlights the importance of understanding legal processes like administrative subpoenas and how they can be used to obtain user information. Defenders should monitor for unusual data requests and ensure that their organizations have policies in place to protect user privacy and resist unlawful requests. This also fits into the larger trend of governments seeking access to user data.