arstechnica.com
DHS has withdrawn summonses seeking to identify the owners of Instagram and Facebook accounts that monitor ICE activity in Pennsylvania. The agency had invoked a customs statute to subpoena Meta for user data, arguing that the accounts endangered agents by sharing photos and personal details. Doe, an anonymous account holder, sued to block the request, claiming it violated First Amendment rights to free speech.
After initially defending the summonses, DHS abruptly reversed course and withdrew the requests without explanation. The agency had sought similar data regarding community watch groups in Los Angeles but also withdrew those summonses after account holders challenged them. The reversal suggests DHS retreated on its strategy to unmask critics online using customs regulations.
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