DOJ Request for 1.3 Million IP Addresses Raises Constitutional Red Flags

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On the day of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, police in Washington, D.C. arrested over 200 protesters and charged some with felony rioting. Several videos show protesters damaging property and clashing with police, but identifying those protesters has still posed something of a challenge. Most wore masks and goggles that obscured their faces.

Now, the Justice Department is attempting to gather more information on the suspected rioters in a manner drawing sharp criticism from defenders of civil liberties. Some of those involved in the inauguration protests that turned violent are believed to have organized using the website DisruptJ20.org. Last month, the Justice Department issued a warrant to DreamHost, the California-based web hosting provider used by Disrupt J20, requesting information roughly 1.3 million IP addresses, as well as contact information and photos of thousands of people. 

This week, DreamHost publicly objected to the request, saying it violates the First Amendment rights of its users, but the Justice Department is not backing down. Nuala O’Connor, president and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology, joins The Takeaway to explain the legal arguments at play on both sides. 

This segment is hosted by Todd Zwillich.