U.S. Weighs Wider Wiretap Laws to Cover Online Activity

U.S. Weighs Wider Wiretap Laws to Cover Online Activity

www.nytimes.com

The Obama administration, resolving years of internal debate, is on the verge of backing a Federal Bureau of Investigation plan for a sweeping overhaul of surveillance laws that would make it easier to wiretap people who communicate using the Internet rather than by traditional phone services, according to officials familiar with the deliberations.
...
“We’ll look a lot more like China than America after this,” Mr. Gidari said.

(visit the link for the full news article)


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there've been many threads about the ever-encroaching government presence in private communications and internet usage, particularly "radical" forums and "conspiracy" sites.

Now, it appears we're on the verge of the final step: the invasion of every once-private communication medium without regard for 4th amendment protections and warrants.

Obama's White House has been quietly deliberating this proposal since 2010 and is now ready to go forward with a "modified" version of the F.B.I.'s original plan.

We are definiutely on the top of a slippery slope where nothing will be private or immune from government surveillance.

www.nytimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

WHY?

What is the reason given for spying on ones own people?
Has anyone actually asked them that question?

All I can think f when I read stuff like this

reply to post by jdub297

Obama's White House has been quietly deliberating this proposal since 2010 and is now ready to go forward with a "modified" version of the F.B.I.'s original plan.

Honestly, if this was a Republican administration, do you not think that they would be doing the same thing?

We are definiutely on the top of a slippery slope where nothing will be private or immune from government surveillance.

I agree with you on this but I feel both parties are involved in taking us down that slippery slope.

It sounds to me like they are talking about being able to monitor things like Skype calls and Google voice. The question is, is this just for warrants, or the feds to do whenever to whoever?

Why shouldn't your Internet activity be monitored? If you don't have anything to hide.. Then give your freedoms up.

Sorry just wanted to be the troll on this one

Well I hope it passes because then it can go to the Supreme Court and they will strike it down as unconstitutional just like they did with the law that allowed them to put trackers on vehicles.

Then we won't need to worry about it anymore.

I'd really hate for Obama to get another pick on the Court and then have this pass. Right now I doubt it would hold up in the Roberts Court.

they need to just hurry up and wiretap all thinking, living, and breathing ....and wiretap the wiretaps themselves.

orwell was a prophet

reply to post by VoidHawk
For you that do not know, NSA can and does wire/ web tap you but has no authority to do anything to you!!! The FBI can not use the info from the NSA on you!!

This would give them the green light to do so, why do you think I can type bomb and nothing happens, other than a flag is sent up at NSA NSA NSA, NSA is the Bomb, for finding the word bomb, that would, under this law, be a no no, and by the time I send post they would be knowing where I am and Knocking on my door, taking my Computer and holding me for questing, and asking me for why I used the word's bomb, NSA, and FBI.
see NOVA the SPY factory for this info video.pbs.org... the word must get out.

Originally posted by Maluhia
All I can think f when I read stuff like this

Running and gunning fires





The way people use the internet is a matter of public safety and national security.

And this is already done by a Higher Power, but if we are going to limit the gunfights here on planet earth we need to catch people in advance before there is a crisis. Unless we educate them on where to get help.

Originally posted by VoidHawk
WHY?

What is the reason given for spying on ones own people?
Has anyone actually asked them that question?

The Whire House is acknowleging and reacting to the F.B.I.'s concerns that fewer communications are using phones and more corresponce is occuring online. They claim their surveillance abilities "have gone dark" as internet usage increases.

reply to post by jam321

Honestly, if this was a Republican administration, do you not think that they would be doing the same thing?

I agree with you on this but I feel both parties are involved in taking us down that slippery slope.

Maybe you haven'y noticed but this was the product of a 2010 proposal; and, that it is conservatives who have steadfastly opposed expanding government intrusions into internet privacy.

But, draw your own conclusions.

jw

Originally posted by CB328
It sounds to me like they are talking about being able to monitor things like Skype calls and Google voice. The question is, is this just for warrants, or the feds to do whenever to whoever?

This is why it's called a "slippery slope;" they start with something that only a few people give a damn about, and slowly expand the intrusions over time. They can argue that it's no different than what they were authorized to do, just a little broader, because they have to. Then, a little more broader, then more.

jw

Originally posted by rockintitz
Why shouldn't your Internet activity be monitored? If you don't have anything to hide.. Then give your freedoms up.

Sorry just wanted to be the troll on this one

Why do you lock your doors and c;lose your blinds? Why do you shut the doors at all?

Perhaps a weekly or daily visit from "the authorities" just to check things out would be okay with you?

Originally posted by bekod

see NOVA the SPY factory for this info video.pbs.org... the word must get out.

I think they got there before me, It tells me I'm not allowed to view it in my country

They're going to force it through - there is ABSOLUTELY NO USE in having a 5 yetabyte storage facility if they don't have a law like this in place.
CISPA didn't make it and less than 2 weeks later they have this on the table, they're just going to force it through one way or the other.

(Quite scary considering they can now use internet history as grounds for ordering a drone strike anywhere in the world - dangerous time to be a whistleblower!)

Always getting double posts now

That's all right. Spy all you like.

Open Source will eventually come out with unbreakable encryption software that returns everybody's communication back to absolute privacy.

The forces of freedom will not be defeated.

You're free to spy. We're free to protect from spying eyes.

Everybody should be so free.

Remember Carnivore circa 97-2004 or so? how do we know there is not another such system that is unadvertised that is in use right now ? also do not forget that the internet or (ARPANET) was developed by the DOD and the U.S. government , who later brought in the colleges and universities to expand the usage, this should make you think about the privacy you really have even if there are private telecoms that are the ISP this could fool some as to who really does own the internet when they pay their bill to Verizon or whoever, not keeping in mind the history of the internet itself some people have a false sense of true anonymity when it comes to their activities on the internet.

We should all know they (the government) can pretty much do what they want and have access to things already (gateways, backbones and ISP), prior to this, sort of the like the farce about FISA and having to get a warrant before wiretapping why would wiretaps be needed if all data is recorded or backed up for future reference, if there are devices that capture digitally any communication whether on the cell phone, landline or computer I put money on it that any sort of posturing to create new regulations are just rubber stamps on what is already occurring or has been contemplated.

For anyone to truly think anything you do on the internet cannot be seen or traced in this day and time especially if you are here in the U.S. you would have to be very naive and uninformed about the very technologies that you utilize to communicate (encrypted or unencrypted) , you should probably change your mindset if you intend on doing anything that you do not want discovered or known publicly.