Gun safe manufacturer Liberty Safe announced changes regarding the storage of customer access codes following backlash for handing over data to the FBI.
On Sept. 6, Liberty Safe confirmed that it was contacted by the federal agency on Aug. 30 requesting access codes to the safe of an individual for whom they had a search warrant. The company subsequently complied with the request, triggering the online backlash.
— Liberty Safe (@libertysafeinc) September 6, 2023
Liberty Safe later announced new measures to protect consumer privacy.
“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,” the company posted in a Sept. 7 statement. “In the coming weeks, we will be releasing a feature that gives every new customer this option when registering their safe.”
“We have also revised our policies around cooperation with law enforcement. Going forward, we will require a subpoena that legally compels Liberty Safe to supply access codes, but can only do so if these codes still exist in our system.”
The safe for which Liberty revealed the code belonged to 34-year-old Nathan Hughes of Arkansas.
Mr. Hughes is charged with felony civil disorder and misdemeanors related to the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. More than 1,100 individuals have been charged in relation to the incident.
🚨 Last week, a friend of ours was raided by the feds over J6, his name is Nathan Hughes and he’s from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Nate was raided by the FBI and arrested at gun point. His girlfriend (who just had a miscarriage) was held at gun point and put in handcuffs. The FBI… pic.twitter.com/LOpMQ28eUJ
— Hodgetwins (@hodgetwins) September 5, 2023
Liberty’s decision to hand out safe codes to the FBI has come under intense criticism online.
“Your guns are not safe in a Liberty Safe. Return them immediately. Cancel any orders. They will give your passcode to the feds,” Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA founder, said in a Sept. 6 post on X.
Your guns are not safe in a Liberty Safe. Return them immediately. Cancel any orders. They will give your passcode to the feds.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 6, 2023
Conservative commentator Rogan O’Hanley, who goes by the handle @DC-Draino, also commented.
“If Liberty Safe had even 1 brain cell of common sense remaining in their entire company, they would profusely apologize for giving the Feds the passcode to their customer’s safe, cover all his legal fees, cover the legal fees of anyone else they did this to, and swear they’ll never do it again,” Mr. O’Hanley said in a Sept. 6 X post.
If Liberty Safe had even 1 brain cell of common sense remaining in their entire company, they would profusely apologize for giving the Feds the passcode to their customer’s safe, cover all his legal fees, cover the legal fees of anyone else they did this to, and swear they’ll… https://t.co/VAbCUgxS4G
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) September 6, 2023
“Liberty Safe missed a HUGE opportunity today!” YouTuber Matt Wallace said in an X post. “Their sales would have EXPLODED if they told the FBI to F off and posted that publicly. Instead, they gave back-end access to a J6 protesters gun safe who is being targeted by a corrupt DOJ. NOW THEY WILL FACE THE CONSEQUENCES!”
Liberty Safe missed an HUGE opportunity today! Their sales would have EXPLODED if they told the FBI to F off and posted that publicly. Instead, they gave back-end access to a J6 protesters gun safe who is being targeted by a corrupt DOJ. NOW THEY WILL FACE THE CONSEQUENCES! pic.twitter.com/GNAIyYW1tq
— Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) September 6, 2023
Policy Changes, Democrat Contributions
In its Sept. 6 announcement, Liberty said that the company protocol is to “provide access codes to law enforcement if a warrant grants them access to a property.”
