FBI sought info on who read USA Today news article for case

The FBI issued a subpoena - an order to submit evidence - to USA Today's owner Gannett, asking it for information about anyone who clicked on an article published in February about the fatal shooting of two of the bureau's agents in Florida.

The subpoena sought the IP addresses and phone numbers for readers of the piece during a 35-minute window. IP addresses can be used to find a computer's location and owner.

"The information sought through this subpoena relates to a federal criminal investigation being conducted by the FBI," the order reads.

Gannett is asking a court to cancel the subpoena, saying it breaches the first amendment of the US constitution, which protects the free press from government interference.

"Being forced to tell the government who reads what on our websites is a clear violation of the first amendment," said Maribel Perez Wadsworth, USA Today's publisher.

Ms Wadsworth said the the FBI's order broke the justice department's guidelines on the "narrow circumstances" in which the government can subpoena reporters.

Leave a Comment