FBI Demands Archive.is Reveal Owner in Legal Showdown
▼ Summary
– The FBI is attempting to identify the operator of Archive.is as part of a federal criminal investigation by subpoenaing subscriber information from domain registrar Tucows.
– Tucows received a subpoena requiring it to provide customer details for archive.today, with a compliance deadline of November 29 and potential legal consequences for refusal.
– The subpoena was publicly disclosed by Archive.today’s X account on the day it was issued, along with the word “canary,” despite being intended to be secret.
– Tucows states it complies with valid legal processes like subpoenas and warrants but advocates for free speech and cannot comment on ongoing investigations.
– The FBI did not respond to media inquiries about the subpoena due to a government shutdown, and the case was first reported by German news outlet Heise Online.
In a significant legal development, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is demanding that domain registrar Tucows reveal the identity of the individual or entity operating Archive.is, a popular service for preserving webpage snapshots often used to circumvent news site paywalls. This action forms part of an active federal criminal probe, with the FBI leveraging a subpoena to compel the disclosure of subscriber details for the archive.today domain.
The FBI served this legal order to Tucows, explicitly requiring the company to furnish all available “subscriber information on the customer behind archive.today.” The document stipulates that Tucows is legally obligated to comply, warning that failure to do so could lead the U.S. Attorney General to seek a court order to enforce the subpoena, with non-compliance punishable as contempt of court. A deadline of November 29 was provided for the response.
Despite the expectation of confidentiality typically surrounding such investigative steps, the operators of Archive.today publicly disclosed the subpoena on their X account on the very day it was issued. The post included a direct link to the PDF document and was accompanied only by the word “canary,” a term often associated with signals indicating that a previously secret legal demand has been received.
Tucows, a domain registrar based in Toronto but also incorporated in Pennsylvania, maintains a published policy regarding legal requests. The company states it provides registrant information when presented with valid U.S. civil subpoenas or criminal warrants. In an official statement, Tucows expressed its commitment to free speech and expression online but clarified its position, noting, “when served with valid due process, like any business, Tucows complies.” The company further indicated it cannot comment on potential or ongoing investigations.
Requests for comment sent to the FBI were met with an automated reply citing the agency’s policy of not responding to most media inquiries during a government shutdown. The existence of the subpoena was initially brought to public attention through a report by the German news outlet Heise Online.
(Source: Ars Technica)
