Matthew Keys


Matthew Keys is an American journalist and blogger formerly employed as the deputy social media editor for Reuters and a web producer for KTXL, a Sacramento television station. In April 2016, Keys was sentenced to two years in prison following his felony conviction under the CFAA for providing the Anonymous hacktivist group with unauthorized access to the Los Angeles Times website following his dismissal in 2010 from Tribune-Co; the parent company for both KTXL and the Los Angeles Times.

Early work

Keys attended American River College near Sacramento, California. While at American River College, Keys signed on as the first online news producer for local television station KTXL. In 2011, Keys joined KGO-TV as a weekend web producer.

Accolades

In 2012, Time Magazine named Keys one of the Top 140 people to follow on Twitter. That same year, the Huffington Post named Keys one of the 50 people to subscribe to for news on Facebook.

Reuters

At Reuters, Keys published news to the organization's various social media accounts, and occasionally contributed to reports—namely those with a social media-specific focus, or where supporting information was found on social media platforms.
On April 22, 2013, just a month after being charged under the CFAA, Reuters fired Keys over purported inaccuracies in reporting on his personal Twitter account while covering the Boston Marathon bombings. The dismissal has been challenged by the union that represented him.

Conviction under the CFAA

In March 2013, Keys was charged by federal prosecutors with providing unauthorized access to the Los Angeles Times website for members of the hacker group Anonymous in December 2010. The hackers published a false story on the website. Keys pleaded not guilty in federal court in April 2013.
On October 7, 2015 Keys was found guilty on all charges and was scheduled to be sentenced on January 20, 2016.
On April 13, 2016, Keys was sentenced to two years in federal prison, at which time he indicated an intent to appeal, and further intent to challenge what he believed to be the "absurd" and "liberal use of the CFAA against those convicted of hacking". As of 15 June 2016, "Keys’ legal team filed an emergency motion with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals" a filing that "automatically triggers a temporary stay," allowing Keys to remain at liberty pending the outcome of the appeal.
In March of 2018, Keys was released from prison after serving his sentence.