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Why Did The FBI Retire Carnivore?

We posted earlier this week that the FBI has officially dropped Carnivore, its "privacy respecting" eavesdropping program. Now reader Throtex writes "Professor Orin Kerr at the George Washington University Law School, a member of the Volokh Conspiracy discusses why Carnivore came to be in the first place and why it really was terminated (about two years ago). Essentially, the media (as usual) got a bit carried away with a non-story: Carnivore was designed to protect your rights from being invaded while sniffing only suspect data. Carnivore was dropped because, as of two years ago, the available tools met the necessary privacy standards, as Prof. Kerr noted in his article about the PATRIOT Act published at the time."

11 of 321 comments (clear)

  1. The usual reason.... by old_skul · · Score: 3, Funny

    ....the next version came out. A new Linux kernel comes out, and you upgrade, right? I guess Carnivore 98(TM) is going off support.

  2. Ingriiiiiid! by robocrop · · Score: 5, Funny
    Because they went vegan.

    I blame PETA.

  3. That can't be right!! by goldspider · · Score: 4, Funny
    "Essentially, the media (as usual) got a bit carried away with a non-story: Carnivore was designed to protect your rights from being invaded while sniffing only suspect data."

    No, no, NO!!

    I read it on SLASHDOT!! The Gubmint wants to read my e-mail! It's part of their Total Information Awareness plot to put me in JAIL! They want to label me a TERRORIST and send me to GITMO!!

    Don't tell me it's not true! It's on the INTERNET for crying out loud!

    --
    "Ask not what your country can do for you." --John F. Kennedy
  4. ffs by JPelorat · · Score: 2, Funny

    How do we know it even existed in the first place? How do we know that there's no audio-based Carnivore? They could have the microphones trained on us RIGHT NOW!!

    The solution is obvious - you must barricade yourself in your own house, destroy the phones and televisions, and sit quietly on the couch so the thermal pickups dont register your presence. It's the only way you'll have privacy!

    --
    Hokey statistics and ancient misconceptions are no match for a good thought in your head, kid!
  5. Little do we know... by Garyman_2000 · · Score: 3, Funny

    The government has actually contracted with the makers of such programs as:
    -Gator
    -CoolWebSearch
    -ISTbar
    -and Internet Optimizer ........

  6. I know!! I know!! by jamesdood · · Score: 3, Funny

    They retired it because it ran on NT4.0 ....

    --
    *narf!*
  7. We've got bigger problems by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I hear they just put the Aquinas router online. Better get some ambrosia.

  8. Hi! I'm from the FBI. by dteichman2 · · Score: 3, Funny

    We retired Carnivore so we could bring in Omnivore. Never would we use the Patriot Act for frivolously putting airplane-taggers in prison, or anything else that could be considered stupid and a waste of government funds/money or abusive to the general population.

    We just came out with Omnivore, essentially Carnivore II. It's made-up of a massive Xbox cluster (that's what we get when we contract it to Microsoft) and has every major exchange hooked into it. It's also the reason people seem to be fascinated with Area 51. Please note that all those old Russion MIGs and freaky green, glowing lights were just cover (the green lights were Das Blinkinlights while we were experimenting with BeOS).

    Please note that Carnivore II is currently intercepting the nude photos that your GF is sending you and FBI agents are probably posting them up in the office right now. Also, it is more than capable of intercepting every e-mail with the word terrorist, seeing as how the Bush Administration would rather that you use the words "Men Of Extreme Evil" so as not to let them win by even acknowleging their presence on Earth. So if you even use the word "terror," we will come after you in your sleep and put you in GITO forever, then you will need to put up with endlessly being forced to dance in front of the other "Men Of Extreme Evil." Thank you for your understanding in this matter. We apologize for any confusion. Remember, Uncle Sam is just trying to decide what's best for YOU!

    --


    Silence is golden... and duct tape is silver.
  9. Re:RTFA...this is not a good thing by SuperBanana · · Score: 4, Funny
    They retired it because USA PATRIOT allows them to just collect it the good old fashioned way...no encryption, no court order.

    I believe the phrase for this is, "When all else fails, lower your standards".

  10. Re:Big Brother Is Watching.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Just remember the different(sic) between "different" and "difference".

    If you're going to criticise someone's post for spelling, you need to do a better job making sure yours is up to snuff.

  11. Ahhh, to be young!, and ignorant! by sideshow · · Score: 2, Funny
    Bush ignoring the August 6, 2001 Daily Briefing (more than a month before the attack) is one of the most ghastly mistakes in American history.

    I remember my youth where I thought my president was the evilest thing that ever lived. Us old fogeys laugh at the kids who think Bush even breaks the halfway point on the evil scale.

    I'm guessing you're about 19, because you sure as hell didn't live through Reagan.

    --

    Hollow words will burn and hollow men will burn.