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US Rep. Joe Barton Has a Plan To Stop Terrorists: Shut Down Websites (arstechnica.com)

Posted by Soulskill on from the terrorism-didn't-exist-before-websites dept.

Earthquake Retrofit writes: In an FCC oversight hearing, U.S. Representative Joe Barton (R-TX) asked Chairman Tom Wheeler if it's possible to shut down websites used by ISIS and other terrorist groups. He said, "Isn't there something we can do under existing law to shut those Internet sites down, and I know they pop up like weeds, but once they do pop up, shut them down and then turn those Internet addresses over to the appropriate law enforcement agencies to try to track them down? I would think that even in an open society, when there is a clear threat, they've declared war against us, our way of life, they've threatened to attack this very city our capital is in, that we could do something about the Internet and social media side of the equation." Wheeler pointed out that the legal definition of "lawful intercept" did not support such actions, but added that Congress could expand the law to validate the concept. Meanwhile, the Senate Intelligence Committee is exploring the idea of using the recent terror attacks in France as ammunition to force tech companies away from end-to-end encryption. "Lawmakers said it was time to intensify discussions over what technology companies such as Apple and Google could do to help unscramble key information on devices such as iPhones and apps like WhatsApp, where suspected terrorists have communicated."

6 of 275 comments (clear)

  1. No more PS4, cuz terrorists. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I guess it's a matter of giving up encryption or just.. the internet generally, in their paradigm now?

    1. Re:No more PS4, cuz terrorists. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      They found a PS4 in the Belgium raid. As to whether terrorists actually communicate using the PS4, who can say, but it's based on the discovery of a PS4. So it's not complete nonsense.

      Personally I'd figure an SJW like yourself would be all for banning video games as they "cause misogyny" or whatever the SJW anti-video game meme is.

  2. People don't understand... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ... technology. You can't shut down the internet, they will find a way to communicate regardless.

  3. Idiot... by Aaden42 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Could we PLEASE have a basic IQ and literacy test requirement to serve in public office?

  4. We want them to use websites by Zeorge · · Score: 3, Interesting

    That way we can gather intel! If we push them off of the internet and back onto the sneakernet then we will have a much harder time getting information. We'll need to find and infiltrate the cells, gain trust, let some incidents happen as a calculated risk in order to get deeper into the organization, etc.

    At least this way if they post we can determine the time, possible location, IP addresses, we can set up taps to capture PCAPs and further enumerate, the list goes on and on.

  5. Re:Joe Barton? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Oh yes, I remember. He's the one that thinks that wind turbines will use up the wind and cause Earth to warm up.

    https://www.facebook.com/reale...

    They will extract energy from the wind, that much is true. There has to be some local measureable effect of a tiny bit less wind, because the energy changed form. It's pretty laughable though, to think that towers with their tippy tops around 600 feet in the air will use up all the wind on earth. It's a big tall atmosphere. And warming? Where do these people get their science? They'll deny that there is such a thing as the greenhouse effect, but believe crap like that.

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.