A Copyfighter’s Musings

Much attention has been paid to the California “True Name” bill and its potentially anonymity-threatening provisions.  Meanwhile, an important privacy bill will soon be coming before California’s Senate Judiciary Committee, having already passed in the Assembly last summer.  AB 1143 would ensure that Internet users have sufficient notice, time, and information to protect their anonymity in cases where a subpoena for identifying information is sent to an online service.  California law already provides such protection in numerous other instances, such as when subpoenas are sent to financial institutions, telephone companies, even veterinarians, as well as many more.  But no such protections exist on the Internet.  As a result, meritless lawsuits have been filed to reveal identities and then threaten online speakers. 

For more information, please see the EFF’s press release as well as their Doe Anonymity information pages.  Also, visit the EFF’s Action Center to send a letter to the Senate.

(Disclosure: I’m currently an intern for the Samuelson Clinic, which is working with the EFF on this bill.)

Filed by Derek Slater at 10:58 pm under General news
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