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Twitter appealing request for Occupy protester's data: 'it doesn't strike the right balance'

Twitter appealing request for Occupy protester's data: 'it doesn't strike the right balance'

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Twitter has said it is appealing an order to hand over user information on an Occupy Wall Street protestor.

By Adi Robertson, a senior tech and policy editor focused on VR, online platforms, and free expression. Adi has covered video games, biohacking, and more for The Verge since 2011.

Source Benjamin Lee (Twitter)

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Gallery Photo: Occupy's DIY balloon cameras map the skies above NYC
Gallery Photo: Occupy's DIY balloon cameras map the skies above NYC

After being ordered to hand over information for Occupy Wall Street protester Malcolm Harris, Twitter has announced that it is appealing the decision. In a tweet, company legal counsel Ben Lee said that the request "doesn't strike the right balance between the rights of users and the interests of law enforcement," adding in a separate statement that "we are committed to fighting for our users."

Twitter first filed to quash the subpoena — which requested "any and all user information" related to Harris's account during a window of time around his October arrest — back in May, but a judge ruled that the request did not constitute an unreasonable burden on the service. While we'll have to wait to see if the ruling is upheld, the results of this appeal could affect not only Harris's case but also help set a precedent for whether social media can reasonably expect to contest a request for user data.

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