Deep breaths everybody, relax.
The mass-hysteria on this sub as of late is ridiculous, some would say comical. People are spreading misinformation left, right and centre. Its apparent that a lot of people haven't actually bothered reading up on what they are changing about the rule, and instead they are believing the first thing they read. Here is the change;
(6) a magistrate judge with authority in any district where activities related to a crime may have occurred has authority to issue a warrant to use remote access to search electronic storage media and to seize or copy electronically stored information located within or outside that district if: (A) the district where the media or information is located has been concealed through technological means; or (B) in an investigation of a violation of 18 U.S.C. ยง 1030(a)(5), the media are protected computers that have been damaged without authorization and are located in five or more districts.
For a warrant to use remote access to search electronic storage media and seize or copy electronically stored information, the officer must make reasonable efforts to serve a copy of the warrant on the person whose property was searched or whose information was seized or copied. Service may be accomplished by any means, including electronic means, reasonably calculated to reach that person.
Show me where, in that change, it states that using VPN's/Tor will have you labelled as a criminal? Exactly, you can't. So why am I seeing this baseless claim everywhere?
The Government will be fucking loving this, can you blame them? Everybody is running around like headless chickens, wailing their arms about as if its the end of the world, throwing all logic out of the window.
People are actually saying they are going to stop using VPN's and Tor as it might result in them being put on a 'list'!! Do you not think this is exactly what the government would want? Inciting fear to get as much people as possible to stop masking their identity, making people easier to track down and survey? Wait, they didn't even need to incite fear, the majority of people have done that of their own volition.
Furthermore, have people forgot about PRISM, ECHELON, Xkeyscore etc? It would appear so as the majority of people are acting, somewhat, surprised that the government wants to extend/utilise its surveillance capabilities.
So I'm struggling to understand why people are saying they will stop using the markets etc (Angel, I'm looking at you), its absurd. An important aspect of privacy tools is strength in numbers, therefore bailing is doing nobody any good.
What we are seeing is a huge game of Chinese whispers, and the end result is over-exaggerated, unprecedented, bullshit. To the people who are sharing this (mis)information having done no research yourself, and instead just passing on what you've been told. PLEASE DON'T!. This kind of exaggeration is harming privacy itself.
Mods, can you please sticky a topic outlining the actual changes of this Rule? It'd clear up a lot of confusion. Maybe a discussion sticky on the matter, or something.
Example of an inaccurate article which many people are basing their claims on
TLDR; Research things for yourself before making claims and stating things as fact.
Sorry for the long post. I'm not even American so this has no effect on me (jurisdiction wise), but I had to get it off my chest.
https://noglobalwarrants.org/images/proposed-amendment-rule-41.pdf
https://consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/dojrule41.pdf
Strength in numbers is the key.
Weed was illegal forever but everyone still smoked it and now look.
Strength in numbers people.
=)