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FBI: We Need Wiretap-Ready Web Sites — Now

Posted by Soulskill on from the go-climb-a-tree dept.

TheGift73 writes with news that the FBI is pushing a proposal to update old wiretap legislation so that modern web firms would be forced to build in backdoors to facilitate government surveillance. Quoting CNET: "In meetings with industry representatives, the White House, and U.S. senators, senior FBI officials argue the dramatic shift in communication from the telephone system to the Internet has made it far more difficult for agents to wiretap Americans suspected of illegal activities, CNET has learned. The FBI general counsel's office has drafted a proposed law that the bureau claims is the best solution: requiring that social-networking Web sites and providers of VoIP, instant messaging, and Web e-mail alter their code to ensure their products are wiretap-friendly. ... The FBI's proposal would amend a 1994 law, called the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, or CALEA, that currently applies only to telecommunications providers, not Web companies. The Federal Communications Commission extended CALEA in 2004 to apply to broadband networks."

1 of 377 comments (clear)

  1. They should pay to build it. by elucido · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    They always say they need this or that then want to pass the bill to the industry and consumer.

    Second why do they need this? If it's to fight terrorism then I'm all for it but if it's to fight "drugs" and "crime" then I'm totally against it.

    The FBI bill should be completely restricted to terrorism investigations only and not "crime" or "law enforcement" or "drugs", and no they shouldn't be allowed to use the "child porn" language to sneak "crime" and "drugs" in. The main reason the internet doesn't trust the FBI and law enforcement is because while they talk about wanting to use their new powers to fight terrorists and pedophiles when we look at the bill we always find copyright infringement, piracy, drugs, and "crime" in there that we politically don't want in there.