Good News, Bad News, Unbelievable News
FBI: Build Wiretapping Into the Internet
The Internet Engineering Task
Force (IETF), founded in 1986,
is the private international organization that sets standards for Internet technology.
The group is now debating whether future Internet technology should be
constructed in such a way as to allow the U.S. government to easily conduct wiretaps of
online telephone communication -- in other
words, to wire government surveillance into the next generation of Internet protocols.
IETF members are girding for an explosive debate at their meeting next month.
But the FBI has already given its
opinion - and, big surprise, they are pro-wiretap.
"We think it's a wise and
prudent move," said Barry Smith, supervisory special agent in the FBI's Digital Telephony
and Encryption policy unit.
"If court-authorized wiretaps are frustrated, effective law enforcement is jeopardized,
public safety is jeopardized, and
policymakers are going to have to figure out how to rectify the problem."
It's Smith's last point - a veiled threat, really -- that concerns
some IETF leaders.
They argue that if the IETF doesn't build in Internet telephone wiretapping capability voluntarily, the government will pass laws mandating such changes anyway - and those laws could be more invasive and/or technologically unwieldy than the changes IETF might make.
The FBI's Smith agrees.
"If this standard-setting body chooses to turn a blind eye to reality, they can make a
statement, but companies are going to have to function in the real world and meet their
governmental obligations,"
Smith said.
But Jeff Schiller, an IETF
executive committee member, disagrees.
"We should not be building surveillance
technology into standards.
Law enforcement was not supposed to be easy. Where it is easy, it's
called a police state."
(Of course, the United States, like most other countries,
already requires telephone companies to configure their networks so police can easily
wiretap calls.)
(Source: Wired News: "Net Wiretapping: Yes or No?" by Declan McCullagh Oct. 13)
This article appeared in the free,
biweekly electronic newsletter --
The Liberator OnLine.
http://www.self-gov.org/
------------------
In 2000, we must become
politically active
in support of gun rights
or we WILL LOSE the right
& the freedom.
NO FATE BUT WHAT WE MAKE!!!
Every year,over 2 million Americans use firearms
to preserve life,limb & family.Gun Control Democrats
would prefer that they are all disarmed and helpless and die,instead.
ernest2, Conn. CAN opp. "Do What You Can"!
http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digital/237/cansite/can.html
FBI: Build Wiretapping Into the Internet
The Internet Engineering Task
Force (IETF), founded in 1986,
is the private international organization that sets standards for Internet technology.
The group is now debating whether future Internet technology should be
constructed in such a way as to allow the U.S. government to easily conduct wiretaps of
online telephone communication -- in other
words, to wire government surveillance into the next generation of Internet protocols.
IETF members are girding for an explosive debate at their meeting next month.
But the FBI has already given its
opinion - and, big surprise, they are pro-wiretap.
"We think it's a wise and
prudent move," said Barry Smith, supervisory special agent in the FBI's Digital Telephony
and Encryption policy unit.
"If court-authorized wiretaps are frustrated, effective law enforcement is jeopardized,
public safety is jeopardized, and
policymakers are going to have to figure out how to rectify the problem."
It's Smith's last point - a veiled threat, really -- that concerns
some IETF leaders.
They argue that if the IETF doesn't build in Internet telephone wiretapping capability voluntarily, the government will pass laws mandating such changes anyway - and those laws could be more invasive and/or technologically unwieldy than the changes IETF might make.
The FBI's Smith agrees.
"If this standard-setting body chooses to turn a blind eye to reality, they can make a
statement, but companies are going to have to function in the real world and meet their
governmental obligations,"
Smith said.
But Jeff Schiller, an IETF
executive committee member, disagrees.
"We should not be building surveillance
technology into standards.
Law enforcement was not supposed to be easy. Where it is easy, it's
called a police state."
(Of course, the United States, like most other countries,
already requires telephone companies to configure their networks so police can easily
wiretap calls.)
(Source: Wired News: "Net Wiretapping: Yes or No?" by Declan McCullagh Oct. 13)
This article appeared in the free,
biweekly electronic newsletter --
The Liberator OnLine.
http://www.self-gov.org/
------------------
In 2000, we must become
politically active
in support of gun rights
or we WILL LOSE the right
& the freedom.
NO FATE BUT WHAT WE MAKE!!!
Every year,over 2 million Americans use firearms
to preserve life,limb & family.Gun Control Democrats
would prefer that they are all disarmed and helpless and die,instead.
ernest2, Conn. CAN opp. "Do What You Can"!
http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digital/237/cansite/can.html
ossible, yep. Likely,nope. Hype factor, Extremely high.