Bloomberg Law Quotes Litson's Ted Canter on First Amendment Risks in Journalist Wiretap Prosecution

Litson PLLC attorney Ted Canter was quoted in a recent Bloomberg Law article examining the constitutional implications of a federal wiretap prosecution against journalist Timothy Burke. The case, pending before the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, raises the question of whether the 1968 Wiretap Act could be used to criminalize routine online activities and chill First Amendment-protected journalism.

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Burke faces charges under both the Wiretap Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act for allegedly using compromised credentials to intercept live, uncut news broadcasts. The prosecution has raised concerns among free speech advocates that the Wiretap Act could be weaponized against journalists who lawfully access publicly available information.

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In his analysis for Bloomberg, Canter addressed the broader implications of the case for press freedom, noting the potential for prosecutorial overreach highlighted in amicus briefs from civil liberties organizations.

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“The amici raise serious concerns about how the Wiretap Act could be abused in a worst-case scenario,” Canter observed.

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Read the full Bloomberg Law story featuring Ted Canter.

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