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Time Warner To Comply With Wiretap Law

rekkanoryo writes "Time Warner Cable is taking steps to comply with the Communications Assistance For Law Enforcement Act, which requires telecommunications providers 'to help police conduct electronic surveilance.' Note that broadband providers are not yet required to comply with the law, but the FBI has stated its desire to force broadband providers under the law's jurisdiction. Invasion of privacy anyone?"

9 of 452 comments (clear)

  1. PGP by slavefishy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Now would be the time to get using PGP and similar software.

  2. The law, anyone? by SunPin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What happens if they don't comply? This is a serious case of "resistance is futile." Time Warner and the FBI are just playing their proper roles. Congress is the group that needs a clue.

    --
    Laws are for people with no friends.
  3. Encryption by lofoforabr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That kind of thing won't work. At least not for the more sophisticated criminal networks, who will surely use encryption to do away with wiretapping.
    It's like banning guns in the hope that criminals won't get them either. They will still do what they are used to do, but by other means.

  4. Tired of it. by robslimo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Good Dog. I'm tired of this erosion of my rights. Yeah, 9-11 was a Bad Thing (tm) and something had to be done, but the situation is getting out of hand. It ain't just GWB, either. The lawmakers as a whole are either reacting to or catering to the fear factor.

    Wiretapping has worked pretty well in the past... but with the proper legal steps taken first (court orders, whatever). Even this has been abused, but I can't see how wholesale wiretapping can be a good thing, ever.

  5. Questions... by vchoy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Quote: "Legal experts said the 85-page filing includes language that could be interpreted as forcing companies to build back doors into everything..."

    How would they enforce this with regards to encryption technologies?
    My point is if people have something to hide, then they will use whatever mechanism there is out there to hide it. Can authorities really achieve their goals by simply imposing wiretapping laws on broadband providers?

  6. would be required to by Phrack · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Given some previous announcements of Time Warner to get into the phone biz (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/36287 for one example), they would already be required to comply with wiretap laws. Nothing surprising here.

    Don't blame the provider for the law. Blame your lawmaker.

    --
    Dump the IRS - http://www.fairtax.org
  7. Re:Amazing. by nomadic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Megacorporations, for once, have amazing power to do a huge amount of good for freedom in this country - by refusing to comply.

    Oh god no. The day corporations stop complying with the laws you don't like is the day they'll stop complying with the laws you do like.

    Environmental regulations? Out the window. OSHA laws? Gone. Child labor? Hiya kids, grab a pick and head to the mines. We can go back to the early part of the century when companies could spy on their workers' private lives in order to ensure they were living "morally".

  8. Re:said it before, and i'll say it again.... by DAldredge · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well , the can. All they have to do is 'pinky swear' that it is part of a National Security Matter. Just like they said the USA PATRIOT act would be used only against terrorists. Well, till they used it against that strip club owener is Vegas who has NO TERRORIST TIES>

    In short, they lie.

  9. Privacy? Over PUBLIC wires? by blcamp · · Score: 5, Insightful


    C'mon people.

    The internet is a PUBLIC network of public content. Where the hell does anyone get the idea that there is a concept of privacy involved here?

    (This is not intended to be sarcastic, rhetorical, nor trolling.)

    If you have (or seek) private information, encrypt it (or have it encrypted), (have it) wrap(ped) it in a .zip or other file, and encrypt the thing again.

    If you don't want the Government to watch what you are saying and/or doing, then don't give them anything to watch.

    This isn't a Bush or Ashcroft thing... this is a technology thing. Any time technology is seen as capable of doing something, ANYTHING, you can bet someone will try do do so... without regard to whom is in charge.

    --
    The problem with socialism is that they always run out of other people's money. - Margaret Thatcher