Senator Wyden Asks WTF Is Up With Homeland Security Domain Seizures

TorrentFreak ^ | 2/3/2011 | Ernesto

[Smogger]

Following on from news of the third phase of ‘piracy’ and counterfeit related domain seizures in 7 months, US Senator Ron Wyden has asked the director of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to clarify some of the most pressing questions. If the domain seizures are to continue, the Obama administration has to be more open about the need for them and the process involved, he argues.

Earlier this week we broke the news that US authorities had started a third round of domain seizures. This time, it turned out that the actions were aimed at sports streaming sites. In total, 10 domain names belonging to 6 websites were handed over to the authorities.

As with previous seizures, the actions of the authorities were met with disbelief by the sites’ owners and their millions of visitors. The owner of Rojadirecta, one of the affected sites, questioned the legitimacy of the seizure since his site has twice been declared legal in Spain. In addition, many further questions were raised.

Today, we learned a little bit more about the justifications for the “Super Bowl Crackdown” after we obtained the affidavit that ICE agent Daniel Brazier sent to the US District Court. However, the request for a seizure warrant is very generic and leaves many questions unanswered.

Luckily, we’re not the only ones who want to find out more about the lack of due process and the need for domain seizures that comply with the DMCA. US Senator Ron Wyden asks the same questions.

In a letter addressed to ICE director John Morton he voiced his concerns, stating that the seizures are “alarmingly unprecedented” and that they could “stifle constitutionally protected speech.” In addition, Senator Wyden asks the following.

— 1. How does ICE and DoJ measure the effectiveness of Operation In our Sites and domain seizures more broadly — how does the government measure the benefits and costs of seizing domain names?

2. Of the nearly 100 domain names seized by the Obama Administration over the last 9 months, how many prosecutions were initiated, how many indictments obtained, and how were the operators of these domain names provided due process?

3. What is the process for selecting a domain name for seizure and, specifically, what criteria are used?

a. Does the Administration make any distinction between domain names that are operated overseas and those that are operated in the U.S.

b. Does the Administration consider whether a domain name operated overseas is in compliance with the domestic law from which the domain name is operated?

c. What standard does the Administration use to ensure that domains are not seized that also facilitate legitimate speech?

d. What standards does ICE use to ensure that it does not seize the domain names of websites the legal status of which could be subject to legitimate debate in a U.S. court of law; how does ICE ensure that seizures target on the true “bad actors?”

4. Does the Administration believe that hyperlinks to domain names that offer downloadable infringing content represent a distribution of infringing content, or do they represent speech?

5. Does the Administration believe that websites that facilitate discussion about where to find infringing content on the Internet represents speech or the distribution of infringed content? What if the discussion on these websites includes hyperlinks to websites that offer downloadable, infringing content?

6. What standard does DoJ expect foreign countries to use when determining whether to seize a domain name controlled in the U.S. for copyright infringement?

7. Did DoJ and ICE take into account the legality of Rojadirecta.org before it seized its domain name? If so, did DoJ and ICE consult with the Department of State or the United States Trade Representative before seizing this site in order to consider how doing so is consistent with U.S. foreign policy and commercial objectives

8. In an affidavit written by Special Agent Andrew Reynolds, he uses his ability to download four specific songs on the domain name dajaz1.com as justification for seizure of this domain name. According to press accounts, the songs in question were legally provided to the operator of the domain name for the purpose of distribution. Please explain the Administration’s justification for continued seizure of this domain name and its rationale for not providing this domain name operator, and others, due process.

9. Can you please provide to me a list of all the domain names seized by the Obama Administration since January of 2009 and provide the basis for their seizure?

10. Do ICE and DoJ keep a record of who meets with federal law enforcement about particular domain names? If not, would you consider keeping such a record and making it publicly available, to ensure transparency in government and that Operation in our Sites is not used to create competitive advantages in the marketplace?

[mojitojoe]

I’m thinking Egypt style street riots in the USA if these communists are not turned out of office in 2012
_____________________

We met several friends for lunch today and the conversation was mostly Egypt and politics. Someone asked if Americans did what they are doing in Egypt, would the government not turn their weapons on them? Would they allow us to do what they are doing in Egypt? The answer is hell no.
Yet Shep Smith calls anyone that is on the side of the government in Egypt, thugs and murders. I doubt he would say the same if it happened here and citizens were mowed down.

[Blood of Tyrants]

WTH is he asking for? Dictators don’t answer to mere elected officials!

[mazda77]

You and me both, brother, you and me both. There are even times I need an edit button for my mouth as well! Yikes.

Be well

[TigersEye]

We needed another national security agency to protect us from websites that stream sports events?

[Munz]

Funny that ICE is involved in this. It should be the FBI period .. ICE should have nothing to do with it.

[The Comedian]

Yet Shep Smith calls anyone that is on the side of the government in Egypt, thugs and murders. I doubt he would say the same if it happened here and citizens were mowed down

I would consider it a bargain if we could:

A) Let a blue city like Chicago or Detroit burn to the ground in exchange for...

B) ...the opportunity to kick Shep in the head 10 times.

Today is a good day to die.
I didn't say for whom.

[The Comedian]

And btw, if DNS is ever interfered with (and I'm sure it will be), here's how you get to FR minus the domain name and any DNS support:

http://209.157.64.200

Today is a good day to die.
I didn't say for whom.

[charlie72]

We need to contact Roger Ailes at Fox News about Shep Smith. He needs to report, forget analysis.

[PieterCasparzen]

Yet Shep Smith calls anyone that is on the side of the government in Egypt, thugs and murders. I doubt he would say the same if it happened here and citizens were mowed down

Shep just reads the teleprompter if that's going on, unless he's going to bail.

IMHO... We should bear in mind that the group that would riot first in the U.S. is the left-wing, as they already have. Conservatives, by definition, don't want to destroy the cities and towns they live in. And for the most part, they realize that acts of terrorism cause acceptance of one's views, only a little fear at best.

If large riots broke out in a small town or city, it would just be viewed as a tragedy and the town will rebuild they way towns did in the 1960's. If they occur in several major cities and get to the point where the cities and their suburbs are unable to get food and have basic security, as is happening in Egypt, national guard units would be called in. The "good" population would insist on doing whatever is necessary to suppress, and if this was not possible or not ordered by the government, local "good" armed citizens, perhaps half the population, would naturally be driven to form citizen militias. There would be strong affinity, even family ties of the militias to the military and police. The national guards, other military and police would be allied with these "good" citizen militia contingents as that would constitute field expediency. The worse the situation deteriorated, the more elected officials would find it impossible to deny the will of the "good" people. The "patriot" forces would simply do what was necessary to ensure proper decision-making, justice and ultimately, target selection. That's why the commuzzies are dreaming when they think they are going to eventually do away with our American principles. Imagine trying to strong arm 50 million people with guns - many veterans - in every city, suburb and farmhouse across the country.

Long story short, good guys won't shoot good guys under orders from someone else for very long. That's why elections are how they are trying to destroy the Constitution, which simply requires us to wake up everyone we meet to reality so they vote.

[PieterCasparzen]

oops ! acts of terrorism Don’t cause acceptance...

That was not a freudian typo !

[loungitude]

.

[loungitude]

.

[sergeantdave]

This is the message I’m getting:

NOTICE: ATDHE.NET was shut down today. We will try anything we can to bring the site back. If you want to continue accessing site please bookmark www.atdhenet.tv.

[Joe 6-pack]

"He is a congressman, not a Senator."

You mean a Representative. All Senators are congressmen.

[reformedliberal]

I have this link stashed in a mailbox within Eudora. When I run the cursor over the link, w/o clicking, I get a prompt which states that “This is a numerical IP address. Most legitimate sites use names, not numerical addresses.”

I find Eudora’s desire to protect its users to be touching.

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[MWestMom]

Thank you.

[mojitojoe]

Amen!

[ElkGroveDan]

Makes me think FreeRepublic should have contingencies for multiple alternate and mirrored domains.

[1010RD]

Obama’s Praetorian Guard.