Don't even think about typing that!

[Snoggera]

This is another fun idea to cram into an already overloaded brain trying to deal with various intrusions. Old news, but interesting, nonetheless.

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1107_2-5194394.html?tag=zdaresources



News Commentary

FBI wants to watch you type
By Declan McCullagh
Special to ZDNet
April 19, 2004, 4:55 AM PT




COMMENTARY--The FBI is trying to convince the government to mandate that providers of broadband, Internet telephony, and instant-messaging services build in backdoors for easy wiretapping.

That would constitute a sweeping expansion of police surveillance powers. Instead of asking Congress to approve the request, the FBI (along with the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration) are pressing the Federal Communications Commission to move forward with minimal public input.

The three agencies argue that the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) permits the FCC to rewire the Internet to suit the eavesdropping establishment. "The importance and the urgency of this task cannot be overstated," their proposal says. "The ability of federal, state and local law enforcement to carry out critical electronic surveillance is being compromised today."

-more-

[SpiralHawk]

1. What "cannot be overstated"

is the danger that this represents to liberty and democracy. BushCo Big Brother is making a Big, Ugly Power move here.

[DAGDA56]

2. Ok, so let's say YOU are a "special agent", and your assignment...

...is to monitor every word typed on DU. Think you could do it? For how long? Even better, what if you were assigned to monitor every inane utterance on Freeperville or Lucianne? NOW how long would you last?

[ant]

3. VoIP

We discussed this in one of my classes last week, comparing two companies - Vonage and Skype - and we touched on how the technology used by each is or isn't capable of wiretapping. I didn't get a lot of the details but the basic idea was that Skype's peer to peer system (these are the same guys that came up with Kazaa) is not really conducive to tapping, unless it connects to the more conventional telephone system, I think. Here's a good article on it:
http://slate.msn.com/id/2095777/

There's also the point that I don't think this is even an American company, so I'm not sure they would have to comply with US regulations.

Anyway, I know this is rather off topic, but your post made me think of that class discussion. I'm a big fan of the peer to peer concept. It definitely poses a security risk, but I think decentralization is ultimately a good thing. I want to download Skype but unfortunately I think you can only call other Skype users. That makes it less likely to penetrate the market, which is unfortunate because I'd rather see the untappable Skype become the industry standard or popular brand or whatever the business term is.

[Snoggera]

5. Thanks for the link

good information! We'll see what develops over the next few years.

[MrSandman]

4. Two words...Patriot Act <n/t>