FBI goes after Wikipedia...
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FBI goes after Wikipedia...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/us/03fbi.html?_r=2
The response from Wikipedia's GC is just awesome.
Oh and just for good measure:
lmao.gif finger2.gif
QUOTE
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken on everyone from Al Capone to John Dillinger to the Unabomber. Its latest adversary: Wikipedia.
The bureau wrote a letter in July to the Wikimedia Foundation, the parent organization of Wikipedia, demanding that it take down an image of the F.B.I. seal accompanying an article on the bureau, and threatened litigation: “Failure to comply may result in further legal action. We appreciate your timely attention to this matter.”
The problem, those at Wikipedia say, is that the law cited in the F.B.I.’s letter is largely about keeping people from flashing fake badges or profiting from the use of the seal, and not about posting images on noncommercial Web sites. Many sites, including the online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica, display the seal.
Other organizations might simply back down. But Wikipedia sent back a politely feisty response, stating that the bureau’s lawyers had misquoted the law. “While we appreciate your desire to revise the statute to reflect your expansive vision of it, the fact is that we must work with the actual language of the statute, not the aspirational version” that the F.B.I. had provided.
Michael Godwin, the general counsel of the Wikimedia Foundation, wrote, “we are prepared to argue our view in court.” He signed off, “with all appropriate respect.”
An F.B.I. spokesman, William Carter, said that such letters go out “from time to time” from the office of general counsel.
“You can’t use the F.B.I. seal, by law, unless you have the permission of the F.B.I. director,” he said.
Cindy Cohn, the legal director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, called the dust-up both “silly” and “troubling”; Wikipedia has a First Amendment right to display the seal, she said.
“Really,” she added, “I have to believe the F.B.I. has better things to do than this.”
The bureau wrote a letter in July to the Wikimedia Foundation, the parent organization of Wikipedia, demanding that it take down an image of the F.B.I. seal accompanying an article on the bureau, and threatened litigation: “Failure to comply may result in further legal action. We appreciate your timely attention to this matter.”
The problem, those at Wikipedia say, is that the law cited in the F.B.I.’s letter is largely about keeping people from flashing fake badges or profiting from the use of the seal, and not about posting images on noncommercial Web sites. Many sites, including the online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica, display the seal.
Other organizations might simply back down. But Wikipedia sent back a politely feisty response, stating that the bureau’s lawyers had misquoted the law. “While we appreciate your desire to revise the statute to reflect your expansive vision of it, the fact is that we must work with the actual language of the statute, not the aspirational version” that the F.B.I. had provided.
Michael Godwin, the general counsel of the Wikimedia Foundation, wrote, “we are prepared to argue our view in court.” He signed off, “with all appropriate respect.”
An F.B.I. spokesman, William Carter, said that such letters go out “from time to time” from the office of general counsel.
“You can’t use the F.B.I. seal, by law, unless you have the permission of the F.B.I. director,” he said.
Cindy Cohn, the legal director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, called the dust-up both “silly” and “troubling”; Wikipedia has a First Amendment right to display the seal, she said.
“Really,” she added, “I have to believe the F.B.I. has better things to do than this.”
The response from Wikipedia's GC is just awesome.
Oh and just for good measure:
lmao.gif finger2.gif
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I'm hesitant to respond in here becasue of your conveyance of the "stick it to the man" attitude. However, Wikimedia's letter was very well written and conveyed your same attitude in a civilized manner. You should take note of their style because your style is quite like that of a 18 year old who just realized he has middle fingers.
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nonsense like this happens everyday everywhere in the workforce and it's sickening. it's basically corrupt, sick bureaucrats working in high places that will bother everybody around them because they are angry and have nothing better to do.
good for wikipedia.
good for wikipedia.
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QUOTE (Visionz @ Aug 9 2010, 03:49 PM)
Nope headshake.gif
Basically, the FBI is pissed off at Wikipedia because the FBI logo and seal were being used on on a Wiki site.
I thought I had to be missing something. It seems too trivial to dispute the use of the FBI seal. Like the article mentions, surely they have better things to do. Basically, the FBI is pissed off at Wikipedia because the FBI logo and seal were being used on on a Wiki site.
QUOTE
"You can’t use the F.B.I. seal, by law, unless you have the permission of the F.B.I. director,” he said.
I'd like to see where this law is written.
