U.S. Is Working to Ease Wiretaps on the Internet

[Newsjock]

Source: New York Times

Federal law enforcement and national security officials are preparing to seek sweeping new regulations for the Internet, arguing that their ability to wiretap criminal and terrorism suspects is “going dark” as people increasingly communicate online instead of by telephone.

Essentially, officials want Congress to require all services that enable communications — including encrypted e-mail transmitters like BlackBerry, social networking Web sites like Facebook and software that allows direct “peer to peer” messaging like Skype — to be technically capable of complying if served with a wiretap order. The mandate would include being able to intercept and unscramble encrypted messages.

The bill, which the Obama administration plans to submit to lawmakers next year, raises fresh questions about how to balance security needs with protecting privacy and fostering innovation. And because security services around the world face the same problem, it could set an example that is copied globally.

James X. Dempsey, vice president of the Center for Democracy and Technology, an Internet policy group, said the proposal had “huge implications” and challenged “fundamental elements of the Internet revolution” — including its decentralized design.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/us/27wiretap.html?_r=1&hp

[boppers]

1. They want to stop encryption. Which is bullshit.

They just *guaranteed* a software explosion in non-US markets, of products that don't have back doors, in everything from steganography to mundane layered encryption.

... which can then be downloaded and used by Americans.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Privacy_Guard

[MrLookyLoo]

14. Any others

GPG is great, but I found it a little tricky to setup. I found TrulyMail (based in Chile, also free) to be much easier to use. I think you're right. You'll see more software being created by foreign firms who don't have to comply with US rules and regs.

[boppers]

2. Kicking for the Internationals

:kick:

[im1013]

3. The way things have been going lately...

I doesn't surprise me. Makes me SICK, but doesn't surprise me.

Apparently, doesn't matter who's in the WH anymore.


:puke:

[Downwinder]

4. Big Brother is watching or wants to.

Don't NSA and FBI communicate?

[cutlassmama]

6. States don't even communicate basic info. This is ridiculous.

[Mefistofeles]

5. US has a history of labeling innocent people as "suspects"

it's sad. We're going downhill.

[golddigger]

7. Change that fucking matters people.

[truebrit71]

8. I just LOVE the smell of 'Change' in the morning!!!

:sarcasm:

Wait! Don't forget to make the companies involved immune from prosecution if they "accidentally" over-step their bounds and tap the wrong folks, like progressives, liberals and those on the "professional left"...

:puke:

[City Lights]

9. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

:puke:

[sabra]

10. k & r

[Downwinder]

11. Are these the people making the decisions?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4555057

[onehandle]

12. 'The bill, which the Obama administration plans to submit to lawmakers next year'

Sounds like it's the Obama administration.

[FlyByNight]

13. What could possibly go wrong?

Federal law enforcement organizations have never previously abused their authority, right?

:sarcasm:

There's a surveillance state and prison-industrial complex to subsidize, after all. Not all change is good.

[Politicub]

15. Clipper chip anyone? But unlike the clipper chip debate...

I predict that the eventual bill for this odious legislation will get passed without a fight.

Americans are so scared of their shadow because of the threat of "terrorism," it's surprising that people even leave their house. 2/3 or more of Americans probably still think that the Internet is a series of tubes.