Appeals Court Judges Question Wiretap Act Ruling for Facebook

Federal appeals court judges asked prosecutors why a lower court could seal a ruling that absolved Facebook from having to wiretap a criminal suspect using one of the company’s encrypted services. All three members of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reviewing the matter had tough questions for the U.S. Justice Department’s support for secrecy in a rare higher-court examination of the government’s power to compel technical assistance.