War of words rages over Internet taps

War of words rages over Internet taps
Kevin Poulsen, SecurityFocus 2004-04-14

The public comment period on a Justice Department proposal to make the Internet easier to wiretap ended Monday with most of the filed comments tracing a clean line between two opposing camps: on the government's side, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who perform wiretaps, allied with companies who sell surveillance equipment and services; on the other, Internet companies who would be forced by the plan to make changes to their networks, along with advocacy groups concerned about slowed innovation and an incursion on Internet privacy.

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we're monitored... so what? 2004-04-15
Anonymous (3 replies)

we're monitored... so what? 2004-04-16
Anonymous (2 replies)

we're monitored... so what? 2004-04-16
Real life (3 replies)

we're monitored... so what? 2004-04-16
shots (1 replies)

we're monitored... so what? 2004-04-17
Anonymous

we're monitored... so what? 2004-04-18
Real Life? (1 replies)

Grow up. 2004-04-19
Anonymous (1 replies)

Grow up. 2004-04-20
Coldman (1 replies)

some basic reading skills required here 2004-04-20
Anonymous (1 replies)

some basic reading skills required here 2004-04-26
Coldman

we're monitored... so what? 2004-04-18
FBI

RE: we're monitored... so what? 2004-04-16
Anonymous (1 replies)

RE: we're monitored... so what? 2004-04-16
Big brother

Re: we're monitored... so what? 2005-06-24
Anonymous

War of words rages over Internet taps 2004-04-15
Anonymous (2 replies)

War of words rages over Internet taps 2004-04-16
Big brother

War of words rages over Internet taps 2004-04-17
Anonymous

War of words rages over Internet taps 2004-04-16
Anonymous

The problem is overreaching governmental power and abuse of that power. Ashcroft's justice department is already pushing to no longer need a court order for wiretaps. So where does that leave our "due process"? At what point do we stop worrying about criminals destroying our lives and start worrying about government doing the same?

This is an honest question, we all face that balancing act everyday. The US was founded on distrust of government.

I haven't formed an opinion either way on this specific issue, but instinctive reactions to either extreme, as have been demonstrated here, will not help the situation.

Of course, to pull a page from Bruce Schneier, my first concern is will these "internet wire taps" actually do to make us safer?

See the Cryptogram that came out yesterday:

http://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram-0404.html

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Link to this comment: http://www.securityfocus.com/comments/articles/8454/25840#25840

Vulgarity 2004-04-17
Anonymous

War of words rages over Internet taps 2004-04-18
Anonymous (1 replies)

The beginning of the end 2004-04-19
m0rtalis

War of words rages over Internet taps 2004-04-19
Winston Smith er.. I mean William Ballum (1 replies)

War of words rages over Internet taps 2004-04-20
A grown up

would this create security issues? 2004-04-20
Anonymous

War of words rages over Internet taps 2004-04-20
Anonymous

Set u up.... 2004-04-21
Anonymous

President 2004-04-21
m0rtalis