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Feds Withdraw Amazon Subpoena

Judge bashes request for book-buyers records as 'Orwellian'

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 28, 2007 7:39 AM CST

(Newser) – Federal prosecutors have withdrawn a subpoena seeking information on thousands of Amazon customers' book-buying habits, MarketWatch reports. The US Attorney's office had sought information on the purchasers of 24,000 used books in connection with a grand-jury probe of a third-party seller on Amazon. But the judge rejected the request, calling it "Orwellian."

If he had approved the subpoena, the judge wrote, "the chilling effect on expressive e-commerce would frost keyboards across America." The judge rejected the request in July and has now unsealed the subpoena request, against prosecutors' wishes. The Amazon third-party seller was nevertheless indicted after police seized one of his computers.

Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com, at a product launch this month. A judge rejected federal prosecutors' request to subpoena Amazon's records. (Associated Press)

The November 26 issue of Newsweek on the future of reading and the launch of the Amazon Kindle. A judge rejected federal prosecutors' request to subpoena Amazon's records. (Associated Press)

Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com, founder and CEO. A judge rejected federal prosecutors' request to subpoena Amazon's records. (Associated Press)

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Feds Withdraw Amazon Subpoena

Judge bashes request for book-buyers records as 'Orwellian'

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

online privacy • Amazon.com

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

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More Newser Stories

Google Skirted Privacy Settings, Tracked iPhones

Ducked Safari's default block on user tracking

Top Apps Download Your Whole Address Book

Twitter, Path blamed in privacy controversy

Experts Find Key Internet Encryption Flaw

Small but significant number of cases vulnerable

Amazon Prime Scores More TV With Viacom Deal

Instant Video selections streamed for free by Prime members

Google Privacy Shift Makes Android an Info Gold Mine

Google can collect all kinds of data to share with other platforms

About Us

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Newser By Users

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What is Newser?