QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA POLICE RETURN ARRESTED JOURNALIST’S IPAD
May 21st 2011 04:04
Queensland Police have returned the iPad of a Fairfax journalist who was arrested on Tuesday after writing about a Facebook privacy flaw.
The Brisbane Times reports that following two days of negotiations between Fairfax lawyers and police, the iPad was returned to technology writer Ben Grubb last night.
It comes as criminal law specialists have condemned the actions of the Queensland Police Service after the seizure of a Sydney Morning Herald journalist’s iPad as evidence of a potential crime.
Grubb was arrested by police on the Gold Coast on Tuesday after he reported that a security researcher at a technology conference had downloaded a private photo from Facebook.
At the time of the arrest, Grubb's iPad was confiscated because police believed it contained evidence of an alleged offence.
The seizure raises questions about the safety of sensitive information held by journalists, such as the names and statements of confidential sources.
The president of the Australian Council for Civil Liberties, Terry O'Gorman, said the iPad was the equivalent of a traditional journalist's notebook, which would normally require a subpoena to obtain.
The general manager for news at Fairfax Digital, Darren Burden, said he was very concerned about the ability of police to confiscate tablets and smartphones, potentially compromising sources.
The Brisbane Times reports that following two days of negotiations between Fairfax lawyers and police, the iPad was returned to technology writer Ben Grubb last night.
It comes as criminal law specialists have condemned the actions of the Queensland Police Service after the seizure of a Sydney Morning Herald journalist’s iPad as evidence of a potential crime.
Grubb was arrested by police on the Gold Coast on Tuesday after he reported that a security researcher at a technology conference had downloaded a private photo from Facebook.
The seizure raises questions about the safety of sensitive information held by journalists, such as the names and statements of confidential sources.
The president of the Australian Council for Civil Liberties, Terry O'Gorman, said the iPad was the equivalent of a traditional journalist's notebook, which would normally require a subpoena to obtain.
The general manager for news at Fairfax Digital, Darren Burden, said he was very concerned about the ability of police to confiscate tablets and smartphones, potentially compromising sources.
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