The End Of The Partisan Internet?

The New York Times is reporting that “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.”

What a lovely bit of news this is…

What does the Obama Administration want to be able to do in order to “keep us safe” you ask?:

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 article quotes James X. Dempsey, vice president of the Center for Democracy and Technology, who says this thing has “huge implications”, and suggested that it “challenged ‘fundamental elements of the Internet revolution’ – including its decentralized design.”

I agree. This isn’t just about email handlers.

If the Admin (which has already been given the ability to “shut DOWN” the internet in case of a National Emergency) is now allowed to “tap” our communications, how much of a stretch would it be for them to monitor blogs and personal websites and use whatever they might find questionable there against us? We’ve seen plenty of stories regarding innocent people being put on terror watch lists…I dare say it wouldn’t take much to get the loudest among us that speak out strongly against this Administration to find ourselves on these sorts of “lists.”

We are being asked NOT to harbor such fear and paranoia, however, by Valerie E. Caproni, general counsel for the Federal Bureau of Investigation:

“We’re talking about lawfully authorized intercepts. We’re not talking expanding authority. We’re talking about preserving our ability to execute our existing authority in order to protect the public safety and national security.”

Color me unimpressed, and un-reassured. There is no greater enemy of the people than a paranoid and over-reaching Central Ruling Authority, and this news reeks to high heaven of it.

This thing gets worse…consider this on page 2 [emphasis mine]:

Steven M. Bellovin, a Columbia University computer science professor, pointed to an episode in Greece: In 2005, it was discovered that hackers had taken advantage of a legally mandated wiretap function to spy on top officials’ phones, including the prime minister’s.

“I think it’s a disaster waiting to happen,” he said. “If they start building in all these back doors, they will be exploited.”

In addition to the risk of being singled out because of your political views, these sorts of ideas risk exposing us to a host of attacks and breaches…I can think of Social Security numbers, Credit Card and Bank account numbers…who knows the extent to which we will be exposed by the Federal Government’s penchant to keep us safe, even if that means we are forcibly exposed to greater risk?

This is a terrible idea, and we can only hope the proposed legislation will meet its just death in Committee when the grown ups are given back control of the country…God willing.

[Note: this article originates at Liberty.Com]