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FBI May Get Easier Access To Internet Activity

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the because-they-can dept.

olsmeister writes "It appears the White House would like to make it easier for the FBI to obtain records of a person's internet activities without a court order to do so, via the use of an NSL. While they have been able to do this for a long time, it may expand the type of information able to be gathered without a court order to include things like web browsing histories."

12 of 276 comments (clear)

  1. And another disappointment by JoshuaZ · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It seems like on civil liberties issues Obama is being almost as bad as Bush. There's something deeply wrong with my country when I read a headline and my first thought is "Well, at least this President isn't having people tortured."

    1. Re:And another disappointment by DJRumpy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm a liberal, but I have to agree. Why do they constantly feel the need to bypass the current warrant system? They can get these after the fact, yet they continue to push for ways to simply bypass them altogether. I realize it's a dangerous world, but if the end result turns the U.S. into something just as bad as that which we are trying to protect ourselves from, what's the use?

      The end does not justify the means...

    2. Re:And another disappointment by QuantumRiff · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This is why I am so against some of the deep packet inspection coupled with Ads some ISP's have been looking at. When charter was looking at it, you could get a cookie that would prevent the targeted ads from displaying in your browser, however, they are still tracking your every move, just don't show you the ads. (its easier to scan everything than scan selectively).

      Some people are okay with that, but a few years later, and now, without a warrant, the FBI can see what you were looking at.

      --

      What are we going to do tonight Brain?
    3. Re:And another disappointment by DJRumpy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      We need to vote in the opposite of lawmakers... we need people who seek to remove laws and return control to the people. We need politicians who don't really want the job.

      You realize that these same folks you vote in tomorrow will become the same people you despise in a few years? Your solution doesn't address root cause, it only sticks a band-aid on the problem.

      The only way to accomplish your goals is with term limits, public funding, and no money allowed by any public interest to be funneled to a politician. It should not take money to get an idea into congress. That's why we have representatives.

      Take away the fundraising drives, "donations", and institute term limits and you remove the things that allow so much corruption and the drive to go into politics just to make money. Force them into public funding, where every candidate gets equal air time to express their beliefs, and leave money out of the equation. Do all of those things, and the only folks willing to become public servants will be those that are truly interested in doing the public good, rather than serving their own pockets.

  2. Said it before, I'll say it again by Pojut · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Always treat every single thing you do online as if anyone could see what you are doing. If you don't want people to know you are visiting certain sites, then don't visit them. If you don't want people to know your opinion about something, don't write it on Facebook.

    Treat everything you do online as if you have zero privacy. That way, in case something goes screwy, you have no surprises waiting for you.

    --
    Living With a Nerd
  3. Lesson for big-government cheerleaders by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Power cannot and will not be compartmentalized. A government that has the ability to give you everything you ever wanted also, by the simple reality of power, has the ability to take everything you ever had.

    Do not ignore the big picture. A government should not only be measured by individual laws and mandates, but as a single entity in reference to its power over the people. In other words, the reason the FBI is able to enact this form of oppression is because government is big enough.

  4. There's a reason for warrants by alexo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Things that can be abused, will be abused.

    This is especially true when people working for law enforcement agencies have a sense of entitlement and no real accountability for their actions. There's a reason for warrants.

  5. I'm all for catching the bad guys.... by realsilly · · Score: 4, Insightful

    .... but this, along with a lot of changes made with the last few adminstrations is getting ridiculous. Why must those of us who are law abiding put up with our civil liberties being stripped away piece by layered piece until we are truly in Orwell's "1984". I know that the reason that is being touted is to help the FBI and other agencies catch those would mean to cause harm upon us, but this is not the right way to go about this.

    To counter the arguement "If you've done nothing wrong, you've got nothing to hide", I have done nothing wrong and I simply would like to continue to have my privacy that is part of my civil liberties. Just because someone does no wrong doesn't mean they wish to be an open book.

    I prefer my habits via driving, phoning, texting, or web surfing to be my business, not yours or anyone else's.

    --
    Life takes interesting turns, but the most interest is when you're off the beaten path.
  6. It's ok. This is government... by John+Hasler · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...not vile corporations. They have your best interests at heart. The infallible, incorruptible regulators must have information to do their job of protecting you from the evil businessmen (and, of course, from yourself). Just cooperate and no one will get hurt.

    --
    Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
  7. FUD by cosm · · Score: 4, Insightful
    From the NSA link:

    In the post 9/11 world, the National Security Letter is an indispensable tool and building block of an investigation that contributes significantly to the FBI’s ability to carry out its national security responsibilities by directly supporting the furtherance of the counterterrorism, counterintelligence and intelligence missions.

    Don't you just love that "In the post 9/11 world" bit? They use that qualifier for everything that infringes on privacy. Its the "Think of the children" of the Military Industrial Complex. Yes there are bad people. Yes there are folks that want to do bad things. But again, trading privacy, and hence freedom, for security, well you know the rest.

    --
    'We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress.' RPF
  8. Re:Proxies, https, SSH by Lawrence_Bird · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You are a fool if you think those can protect you from the three letter agencies. Hope this doesn't spoil your day.

  9. Do Something About It by MrTripps · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Stuff like this is why I joined the Electronic Frontier Foundation: https://www.eff.org/

    --
    "I'm not a quack, I'm a mad scientist! There's a difference." - Dr. Cockroach