DHS domain name seizures draw ire of House members

DHS domain name seizures draw ire of House members

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Three members of the House Judiciary Committee have voiced their concerns to Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano regarding the DHS's seizure of domain names as part of Operation In Our Sites.

In an Aug. 30 letter (.pdf) to Holder and Napolitano, Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Jared Polis (D-Colo.) charged that complaints from several websites and press accounts "indicate that In Our Sites has resulted in the seizure of domains without sufficient due process and transparency, based on links and content that appear to have been lawfully provided to the sites." 

Launched in November 2010, Operation In Our Sites is a law enforcement initiative managed by DHS's Immigration and Customs Enforcement to protect consumers by targeting counterfeit and piracy on the Internet. As the principal investigative arm of DHS, ICE is a law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities including Operation In Our Sites. According to a July 2012 DHS press release, 769 domain names have been seized to date under Operation In Our Sites, of which 229 have been forfeited to the federal government.

"Our concern centers on your Department's methods, and the process given, when seizing the domain names of websites whose actions and content are presumed to be lawful, protected speech," the letter states. "We are deeply concerned that ICE and its sister agencies may be failing to properly investigate and prosecute cases brought under the [Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008]."

In their letter to Holder and Napolitano, the members of Congress cite the case of the domain name seizure of a website called Dajaz1, which was taken down by prosecutors working with the operation. In the Dajaz1 case, ultimately, the affidavit on which the seizure was based proved to be inaccurate. Nevertheless, ICE and the Justice Department suppressed the website for more than a year before it was determined there was a lack of probable cause and the seized domain was restored."

‎"Life's blows cannot break a person whose spirit is warmed by the fire of enthusiasm." ~Norman Vincent Peale

‎"Life's blows cannot break a person whose spirit is warmed by the fire of enthusiasm." ~Norman Vincent Peale

"If today was the day you were finally going to win, did you show up?" - Dan Waldschmidt

"If today was the day you were finally going to win, did you show up?" - Dan Waldschmidt

Chuck Norris and His Wife Warn that Obama Re-election Would Mean ‘1,000 Years of Darkness’

Chuck Norris and His Wife Warn that Obama Re-election Would Mean ‘1,000 Years of Darkness’

Odd Jobs: Deer Urine Farmer

Odd Jobs: Deer Urine Farmer

Burning Man (Amazing Pics) 2012

Burning Man (Amazing Pics) 2012

"Out on the playa of Nevada's Black Rock Desert, more than 50,000 participants gathered last week to form Black Rock City, a temporary city that became the home of the 26th annual Burning Man Festival. Every year, participants from around the world descend on the playa -- performers, artists, free spirits, and more -- to form a self-reliant community, to dance, to express themselves and take in the spectacle of the festival. Reuters photographer Jim Urquhart spent the week on the playa, and returned with these photographs, taking us along on a virtual visit to Burning Man 2012."

Americans Take Day Off From Looking For Work

Americans Take Day Off From Looking For Work

NEW YORK—Citing the day-in, day-out grind of waking up early every morning and plugging away nonstop to find a job, Americans across the nation are spending their Labor Day taking a well-deserved day off from looking for work.

Whether it’s spending time at the park, firing up the grill, or simply enjoying a relaxing day inside watching television, U.S. citizens, who reportedly work an average of eight hours a day searching for employment, said they were glad to take some time off from the near-constant pressure of their job hunts.

“It’s definitely good to recharge,” said unemployed operations manager Rob Wilkes, 44, who vowed to relax and not send a single looking-for-work-related email the entire day. “I honestly can’t remember the last time I took a day off from trying to find a job.”

Added Wilkes, “Labor Day last year, maybe?”

Stating how important their finding a career is to them, Americans admitted it would be somewhat difficult to completely tear themselves away from various work-seeking responsibilities that typically pop up during the day, such looking through the classified sections of multiple newspapers, and blindly sending out dozens of resumes and cover letter.

However, citizens maintained that their lives can’t just revolve around their job search, and that it's essential to take some time away from the grueling—and some would say mind-numbing—hours spent staring endlessly at a computer monitor displaying Monster.com and LinkedIn.

Moreover, for the entire day, Americans have vowed to completely avoid discussing the subject of finding work, and just enjoy hanging out with friends, relatives, and former coworkers.

“I’m constantly in looking-for-work mode,” said former market researcher Amanda Cooper, adding that Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. till 6 p.m. she can be found glued to her bedroom desk trying to find a job. “But you know what? It’s Labor Day. I’m not going to think about all the follow-up phone calls I have to make to potential employers, or how I’m behind on updating my CV. In fact, there is a job application to Burger King sitting on my kitchen table right now, and it’ll just have to wait until tomorrow.”