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FCC Asks For Comments On Internet Wiretapping

Posted by timothy on from the or-you-can-just-whisper dept.

SECURITY GURU writes "Security Focus has posted a story about The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launching a public comment period on its plan to compel Internet broadband and VoIP providers to open their networks up to easy surveillance by law enforcement agencies. The 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), a federal law that mandates surveillance backdoors in U.S. telephone networks, is what would allow the FBI to start listening in on Internet communications. The EFF, ACLU, and the Electronic Privacy Information Center all opposed the plan, and an ACLU letter-drive generated hundreds of mailings from citizens against what the group called 'the New Ashcroft Internet Snooping Request.' If you have a comment on why you don't want the governemnt reading your email please post it here. All comments are due by November 8th."

7 of 254 comments (clear)

  1. No reason for alarm by MasterOfMagic · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If you ever thought your unencrypted traffic was safe from snooping over the Internet, you get what you deserve. If you don't like the idea of a company divulging your secrets, don't use that company, or add another layer of encryption on top of it. PGPPhone over VoIP anyone?

    1. Re:No reason for alarm by garcia · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's a slippery slope you see. Soon the assholes will want backdoors to encryption programs or they will ban them outright. Obviously only a terrorist wouldn't want the government to see their traffic.

      This isn't tin foil hat material folks... This is really what's going to happen if we continue down the road we have been traveling. If we don't stop it at the polls this year it's not going to be easily turned around.

      Governments (regardless of party affiliation) love to have power. If one party can get the public brainwashed into believing that the measures they are taking are both necessary and acceptable the other side isn't going to complain when they have just that much more control over the population...

      VOTE IN NOVEMBER AND PUT AN END TO THIS HORSESHIT.

    2. Re:No reason for alarm by Sheepdot · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Hmm... Let's see here. Name, Address, Email, and Phone. Yeah okay, filled out. After all, when the German government required registration for gun owners in 1938, they didn't immediately turn around and seek those people out when they banned guns. Err wait.

      I would highly advise you to *not* fill out this form with any legitimate info (which is probably required for the comment to be considered). In fact, I would falsly fill it out with the personal information of your state auditor, governor, or other public figure.

      I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but it should bother *anyone* that they request all this ridiculous information for simply leaving a comment.

      (Note: 1928 was the first gun registration, but it was "improved" in 1938 to include mandatory registration for any type of weapon)

  2. Why not? by Seeth42 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hey, if Ashcroft wants to read all my spam before I can purge it, can I get an ammendment to the act to allow them to delete it for me?

  3. ACLU by spangineer · · Score: 5, Informative

    The ACLU also has a site set up for reading more about what's involved and for faxing your petition - ACLU

  4. They're welcome to try. by NoMoreNicksLeft · · Score: 5, Interesting

    We're already implementing https and ssl irc over our network... not that they'll see even that far, they'll likely never see past the exterior VPN tunnels.

  5. Well I'm Writing in by Nuclear+Elephant · · Score: 5, Insightful

    For those of you who don't take crap like this seriously, just look at how far we've come with disolving American's rights since pre-9/11. I don't care if they don't take me seriously, I'm at the very least chiming in with them. Here's my comments to them below.

    I have been involved with Internet architecture and security for more than ten years. I must warn you that what you're about to do will be devastating to privacy on the Internet and will ultimately lead to such a strong distrust of the Internet that it may render it useless for any type of corporate or personal communication. There are three very serious issued here that must be discussed.

    First, the effects of putting a full-blown monitoring system in place, aside from its immense cost to the taxpayers, will ultimately lead to only one conclusion: a wide open hole for any Internet hacker to direct their exploits at with the reward of full access to anyone's information on the Internet. Security of such a tool would be futile, and trusting a government agency with the security and management of such a tool dangerous in light of the government's inability to secure their own systems. Privacy concerns, corporate espionage, and even snooping on other government agencies are all serious concerns that would undermine America's use of the Internet.

    Second, Abuse by those in control. Supreme court justices and high officials are not those many are concerned about with regards to abuse - these individuals are not the individuals who are commissioned to secure and manage such a system. It is underpaid government systems administration staff who would be responsible for managing it, people who are very likely to abuse their power to snoop on the private correspondence of others. Keep in mind we're not necessarily just talking about email, but personal media (pictures for example), online banking communications, and even possibly streaming video which should remain confidential from prying eyes.

    Third, Electronic correspondence is all too easily analyzed and mined. Clandestine government operations to collect and store data about an individual over a period of years could easily compromise the integrity of the Internet as a whole and lead to the unjust profiling and intervention of law enforcement agencies who seek to use the information for purposes other than wiretapping.

    I sincerely hope you are giving this the most critical analysis possible. The 1994 CALEA law was not passed for Internet surveillance; it was passed for telephone wiretapping. In 1994, the Internet wasn't a legislative concern, therefore to allow the FBI to apply this act to the Internet's backbone is a terrible travesty of justice. Do not allow the FBI to become the legislative branch! Demand that a law be passed specifically for Internet wiretapping before you consider anything. If a system like this were to be put in place, I for one would strongly consider abandoning the Internet and I suspect millions of others would do the same.