Privacy Advocates Protest FBI Warning of 'Going Dark' In Online Era

CWmike writes "CNET's Declan McCullagh reported last week on the FBI's argument that the massive shift of communications from the telephone system to the Internet 'has made it far more difficult for the agency to wiretap Americans suspected of illegal activities.' The law has already been expanded once, in 2004, to include broadband networks, but still excludes Web companies. The FBI says its surveillance efforts are in danger of 'going dark' if it is not allowed to monitor the way people communicate now. Not surprisingly, a range of opponents, from privacy advocates to legal experts, disagree — strongly. On key tech hitch with the plan, per ACLU attorney Mark Rumold and others: There is a difference between wiretapping phones and demanding a backdoor to Internet services. 'A backdoor doesn't just make it accessible to the FBI — it makes it vulnerable to others,' Rumold says."

Comments

Let's not forget what this is really about

[GodfatherofSoul]

The FBI can get a warrant if they've got evidence, but they want to snoop without them.

Re:How's this for an idea?

[sir-gold]

the FBI can install spyware on a computer just as stealthily as they can bug a room.