KGB Wants Control of Email and VOIP

blair1q writes "The FSB (really just a rebadged KGB) is worried about the abilities that internet communications services such as Hotmail, Gmail, and Skype give to people they consider black-hats. In particular, they don't like the fact that these services allow encryption. They say they aren't going to seize or block them, yet, but are just 'studying' the situation, with an eye possibly toward implementing controls like those in China. Their increased interest in the tools may be related to a DDoS attack on Russian President Dmitri Medvedev's own LiveJournal account, which he termed 'revolting and illegal.'"

Comments

Join the club, comrade

[elrous0]

The U.S. government wants the exact same thing. I'm pretty sure that almost every government at this point wants *at least* a way to bypass encryption, a "kill switch" for the internet in their country, and some form of email monitoring (all these without any pesky warrants, of course). If your country is an exception, count yourself lucky.

Re:Join the club, comrade

[Riceballsan]

Ah but if it drives them to Jitsi or any alternatives, then that is a quick easy way to know who to flag as a terrorist. After all 90% of people won't be educated enough to know the difference if encryption is lost, so the 10% that switch, are the ones with something to hide.

Re:Back in the USA

[kvvbassboy]

It's Russia, so it must be more sinister and evil.