The FBI has issued a subpoena to domain registrar Tucows seeking information on the operator of Archive.today, a site used to archive webpages and bypass paywalls. The subpoena, part of a federal criminal investigation, demands subscriber details but remains secret except for its public disclosure by the site's X account. Tucows states it complies with valid legal processes despite its advocacy for free speech.
On October 30, the Federal Bureau of Investigation sent a subpoena to Tucows, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, and incorporated in Pennsylvania. The document requires Tucows to provide subscriber information for the customer behind archive.today, also known as Archive.is, in connection with a federal criminal investigation. The subpoena specifies that failure to comply could result in court enforcement and contempt charges, with a deadline of November 29.
The Archive.today X account posted the subpoena PDF that same day, accompanied by the word “canary,” signaling its disclosure as a warning of government requests. While the exact nature of the probe is undisclosed, copyright infringement is a likely focus, given the site's role in saving full versions of paywalled news articles. Users submit URLs for archiving, unlike the automated crawling of the nonprofit Internet Archive.
Tucows responded: “Tucows is a staunch advocate for free speech and the freedom of expression on the Internet. However, when served with valid due process, like any business, Tucows complies.” The company declined to comment further on ongoing investigations.
Archive.today, launched in 2012, operates from European data centers and is privately funded, accepting donations. Its registrant, “Denis Petrov,” is suspected to be an alias, with indications the founder hails from Russia. Unlike the Internet Archive, it lacks a publicized process for copyright owners to request content removal. The subpoena seeks extensive records, including names, addresses, payment details, IP addresses, phone records, and session logs.
This action echoes broader efforts by US publishers against paywall-bypass services. In July, the News/Media Alliance achieved the takedown of 12ft.io. The FBI did not respond to inquiries, citing a government shutdown policy.