NY Newspaper Removes Online Map of Handgun Permit Owners
January 19, 2013 01:25:49 pm
The Journal News in suburban New York City has removed an interactive online map of handgun permit holders in two counties that drew nationwide anger and prompted threats against its staff, the New York Times reports. The decision to take the information off its Web site came in response to the passage of sweeping gun legislation this week said the publisher, Janet Hasson. “While the new law does not require us to remove the data, we believe that doing so complies with its spirit,” she said.
The newspaper, which is based in White Plains, used public records to create the map, a clickable collection of the names and addresses of thousands of permit holders in the two counties. Since it first appeared in late December, the online map had been viewed nearly 1.2 million times, the paper said. The paper received a flood of angry phone calls and letters, and opponents posted the home address of editors and other staff members online. The reaction prompted the paper to hire armed security for its headquarters and for a bureau.