YIPL (Youth International Party Line), n.: The first phone phreak newsletter, published in New York from 1971 through 1984 or so. Changed its name to TAP, standing first for Technological American Party and then later for Technical Assistance Program. Direct predecessor to 2600: The Hacker Quarterly.
Toll fraud, n.: Unsurprisingly, what YIPL was investigated for in 1974 by the FBI.
Atomic Energy Act, violation of, n.: Surprisingly, what TAP was investigated for by the FBI in 1979 ... because they had atomic bomb plans!
Read all about it in FBI files 100-NY-179649 and 117-NY-2905, posted at historyofphonephreaking.org.
Have you filed any FOIA appeal to the 29 pages withheld?
If not, why not?
Posted by: 3200 | September 05, 2008 at 06:37 AM
3200, thanks for your note. No, I didn't appeal the withheld pages. This was one of the first FOIA requests I made and I didn't know any better. My appeal window has long since passed (you only have 60 days), but I urge you to request the file and then appeal if you're interested in them.
BTW, 10 of the 29 withheld pages were not so much withheld as sent to the Department of Energy, which was supposed to review them and then send them directly to me. Instead DOE seems to have either lost them or sat on them for more than a year. After repeated phone calls DOE now says they are on the case but gave no estimate of when I might get the pages.
Phil
Posted by: Phil | September 05, 2008 at 09:34 AM