https://www.newsmax.com/finance/streettalk/liberty-safe-fbi-raid-safe-code/2023/09/07/id/1133616/
By Lee Barney | Thursday, 07 September 2023 01:54 PM EDT
Liberty Safe has reversed course on its earlier policy of complying with warrants from the FBI or other law enforcement agencies for the codes to its safes.
The gun safe company will now only comply with the feds or police when subpoenaed, The Post Millennial reports. In addition, customers can have their combination removed from Liberty Safe’s database.
Liberty Safe expanded its customer privacy policy after it complied with a safe code request from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in its search of the home of an alleged January 6 protester.
Liberty Safe’s statement, tweeted late Wednesday on X, says:
“We listen to our customers and update our products and practices in response to their evolving needs. Effective immediately, existing customers can visit
www.libertysafe.com/pages/combination-removal and fill out the form to have records of their access codes expunged.”
New customers will also have the ability to opt out of the database in coming weeks, Liberty Safe added.
“This change allows customers to take control of how their information is stored and protected,” Liberty Safe continued. “We understand that many of our customers are willing to assume the responsibility of safeguarding their own combination.”
One important caveat to note is that Liberty Safe will not be able to comply with any warrant or subpoena from the authorities for a customer who has had their safe’s code expunged from the company’s database.
Reaction to Liberty Safe’s policy change was mixed. One X user, Tim Pool, applauded the company for balancing complying with authorities’ aim to safeguard the public, with the privacy of its customers.
The Blaze, however, reported that Liberty Safe is facing intense backlash after enabling the FBI to breach the safe of a customer only facing accusations of being involved in the January 6 protests.
The situation arose on Aug. 30, 2023 when the FBI contacted the safe maker, requesting the code to a safe owned by Nathan Hughes of Fayetteville, Arkansas, who the authorities say attended the January 6 protests and whose home they were in the process of raiding.
After verifying the authenticity of the FBI’s warrant, Liberty Safe shared the code to Hughes’ safe with the authorities.
The majority of the X posts slammed Liberty Safe for its new policies and how it handled the Hughes raid:
"Seems like an admission that you provided access codes without a subpoena in the past. Sorry. Trust lost forever. You'll never get mine back," one person said.
"How can we trust there aren't any more secret access codes, though?" one customer asked.
"Well, good on you for making the policy change. But the damage is already done. If the FBI had a warrant for the homeowners' property, it should be the homeowners' responsibility to give the code," another person said.
"[W]hy in God's name would you provide the code without a subpoena? Where is the apology?" one person asked.
"The last thing I’m doing is visiting your website and giving you MORE of my personal information," one person said.
"The problem is you don’t actually stand for liberty. You are doing this because you were called out - Not because of your core values. Bye," another person responded.
"Your apology is missing the apology part," one person observed.
"Opt out? How about YOU should have ASKED customers if they want to opt in," another person suggested.
