Memo to all Bluelight users (a highly reccommended read)

Last Exit

Bluelighter
Joined
Aug 26, 2003
Messages
13
At my final court appearance on Wednesday, I was informed by my lawyer that the Oakland County Prosecutors Office had in their possession my original Bluelight post detailing my felony amphetamine arrest and surrounding circumstances. The OCPO also had in their possession two of my emails that I had sent to a friend discussing my situation.

It is common sense that the police regularly patrol these boards, but the fact that they can actually TRACE your posts to you and use them against you in the court of law is appalling. My lawyer said that the print of my post was given to the Prosecutors Office by the Beverly Hills Police Department, and that if necessary, they were more than ready to use my post, as well as my emails, against me in court. Thankfully, they did not have to use them, and the immediate issue became null and void.

Of course, I wondered "how can they prove that is me?" Well, I registered my nick under my school address (as heard on NBA JAM: bad decision), which clearly states my last name. If you have registered under an anonymous yahoo/hotmail email address, that's very smart, just don't put any of your true personal information in the form when you register. My lawyer also cited the specific detailed message of my post regarding my case (it was exactly what happened to a T) was evidence enough to be used against me and prove that it was actually me who made the post, even if I had posted anonymously or under an anonymous email adderss.

Also, my lawyer informed me that they had printed my IP log, which was traced back to my ISP and concurrently back to me at my apartment. So if you are going to be posting potentially incriminating information, DO NOT use them from your personal IP address or home at work, do it at a library or at a computer lab at school, and use a Guest login.

I was also informed that the interception of my email was legal, and would have likely been used against me if we would have proceeded to trial for the weed.

FYI: don't conduct incriminating business over email or post shit on the internet that can fuck you over in the future. Also, don't use an email address that can easily be traced back to you (i.e. school email with last name clearly in the address).

Even though this breach of our privacy is so fucking appalling, it's the era of government that Republicans have voted into office.

I can't wait until July, 2004, and the coming election.
 
This is the reason we tell people not to post incriminating info, especially about things they are being currently charged with.

This is also why using an anonymous email is suggested by the admins.

Sorry to hear you got caught up, however a little caution could've prevented this from ever happening.

Good luck.

**Edit: That sounded kind of harsh and I didn't mean it to, we all just need to remember we aren't untouchable behind our screens. I truly hope you come out of this ok. Again...good luck.
 
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Wow. 8(

Thank you for sharing your story. It really is amazing what the government can get away with- I have ranted about it on many occasions.

We do our best to encourage free, open discussion, but it's important to use common sense in what you discuss, as MattPD said.

Ziplip and Hushmail are two good anonymous e-mail services that offer encryption as well. It's never a good idea to conduct drug business any other way than face-to-face.

Those who choose to engage in the use of illegal substances must understand that inherent in substance use are many risks- health, legal, social and otherwise. Bluelight's aim is to educate and inform in the hope of reducing those risks. The staff members and posters of Bluelight have been responsible for actually saving lives on many different occasions.

Here's our official position on Bluelight's relationship with law enforcement

Stay safe, everyone.
 
"We respect the privacy of our posters and will never share any information that could reveal their identity."

so does it really matter if we use an identity revealing email address?
 
SkiNLaB said:
so does it really matter if we use an identity revealing email address?

Email addresses are not displayed to the public. If you allow people to send you email through the site, you would have to respond to something they send you through the form mail, in order for them to know your email address. Of course, you can always edit your profile to not allow people to send you email at all.
 
In response to Skinlab:

Had you read two lines further into the text you cited, you would have seen:

If posters choose to provide photos or reveal personal information, that is their own decision and they do so at their own risk.


At the end of the day, your posts are your responsibility.

forgotten is correct and on the right track, absolutely. That said, many people willingly reveal their e-mail addresses in threads or by responding to e-mails they receive through the site.

The suggestion to edit your profile to not allow posters to e-mail you that forgotten made is also a smart course of action to take.
 
Thanks for Sharing your story. I will point others to this post, very important stuff!

I am wondering, your post hinted towards the fact that the cops intercepted your email communication. I don't know a LOT about the internet or email, but i am curious:

Did they access your email account and read saved emails or did they physically intercept the email as it was being transmitted?

I ask because the former says that they were collecting evidence after you were arrested, but the later means you were being monitored well before arrest. Can you shed some light?
CA:)
 
Last Exit said:
...police regularly patrol these boards...they can actually TRACE your posts to you...they had printed my IP log, which was traced back to my ISP and concurrently back to me...

Scary. And it shows what can happen...It's different in different countries of course; in some you have to be strongly suspected of an offence that would give you at least 2-5 years in prison, for the cops to be allowed to tap your phone, your e-mail etc. It would be sensible for each and everyone to really find out how the laws are applied in his/hers own country. Drug wars are the only way for pigs in democratic states to behave as if they are serving a dictatorship. Which no doubt seems to be their wish...

Also not forgetting that ALL your communication in Hotmail or MSN is the property of Microsoft to "use, modify, copy, distribute, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, reproduce, publish, sublicense, create derivative works from, transfer, or sell..."

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/18002.html
 
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