Signal has resisted a FBI subpoena and gag order that demanded a wide range of information on two users resulted in a federal grand jury investigation in Virginia.
The makers of Signal, Open Whisper Systems, profoundly disappointed law enforcement. The app collects as little data as possible and therefore was unable to hand anything useful over to agents.
“The Signal service was designed to minimize the data we retain,” Moxie Marlinspike, the founder of Open Whisper Systems, told the New York Times.
The subpoena came with a yearlong gag order that was successfully challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union.
Such gag orders have been used against tech giants including Microsoft. Critics argue they violate the targets’ rights.
Signal’s creators challenged the gag order as unconstitutional, “because it is not narrowly tailored to a compelling government interest.” The challenge was successful. Encryption app Signal wins fight against FBI subpoena and gag order
Nice to see the good guys win for a change!
Robin Edgar
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