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Ron Wyden Introduces Bill To Ban FBI 'Backdoors' In Tech Products
An anonymous reader sends this report from The Verge: Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) is trying to proactively block FBI head James Comey's request for new rules that make tapping into devices easier. The Secure Data Act would ban agencies from making manufacturers alter their products to allow easier surveillance or search, something Comey has said is necessary as encryption becomes more common and more sophisticated. "Strong encryption and sound computer security is the best way to keep Americans' data safe from hackers and foreign threats," said Wyden in a statement. "It is the best way to protect our constitutional rights at a time when a person's whole life can often be found on his or her smartphone."
Does it matter? There are already laws to protect citizens from various overreaches. All of them have been ignored so far. What is needed is eradicating the budgets of the FBI and NSA completely. But that's not going to happen because "think of the children!" and "what about all scary men with beards on the other side of the world?". I think what is needed is for SCOTUS judges to grow some balls and start punishing politicians and various other high-ups. You know, throwing them in jail when they do really bad things. But that's unlikely to happen too, since they are all in bed with each other and corruption is apparently the driving force here. The term banana republic spring to mind. Some kind of modern take on it...