Twitter data privacy in dispute in WikiLeaks case
Three people associated with the website WikiLeaks are asking a federal judge not to force the social networking site Twitter to turn over data about whom they communicate with online.
In court documents unsealed Tuesday, the three challenged a court order forcing Twitter to tell the government the names of those they talk to privately and who follow their posts. Attorneys argued that violated their freedom of speech.
The documents capture the heart of the WikiLeaks debate because the U.S. is investigating whether WikiLeaks should be held responsible for leaking classified information, even though it was not the original leaker. Defense attorneys say it's a question of political discussion, arguing that Twitter communication about WikiLeaks is protected speech.
