Twitter’s made it clear in the past that it will not censor tweets as long as they are legal, valid, don’t compromise privacy, don’t violate copyright and don’t threaten anyone.
“(We) make efforts to keep these exceptions narrow so they may serve to prove a broader and more important rule—we strive not to remove Tweets on the basis of their content,” Twitter’s Biz Stone and Alex Macgillivray wrote in January 2011.
Twitter has made an admirable commitment to free speech, and, it should be noted, has gone out of its way to let users know when governments have asked for user information.
It’s a tricky line for the service to walk.
“Ideally, we work to get the account back in the hands of its rightful owner as quickly as possible so that they have the opportunity to delete Tweets,” spokesman Sean Garrett said in an e-mail.
18 U.S.C. § 1505 states, in pertinent part: “Whoever corruptly, or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication influences, obstructs, or impedes or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede the due and proper administration of the law under which any pending proceeding is being had before any department or agency of the United States, or the due and proper exercise of the power of inquiry under which any inquiry or investigation is being had by either House, or any committee of either House or any joint committee of the Congress — Shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years or, if the offense involves international or domestic terrorism (as defined in section 2331), imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both.” Unfortunately for all the truth-seekers, DHS officials don’t have to worry about being prosecuted for their crimes – after all, Eric Holder is too busy prosecuting whistleblowers.
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