September 27, 2010 by the Associated Press
http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/report-us-would-make-internet-wiretaps-easier/19649649
Next year the Obama administration plans to submit a bill that would allow for the government wiretap more internet communications. This includes encrypted emails, social networking websites, and direct communications. Affecting companies such as BlackBerry, Facebook and Skype respectively. The reason for this new wire tap on Internet communications is to better equip law enforcement and national security. As there are more terrorists and criminals that are dropping their usage of their cell phones and connecting more by way of Internet. Some of the expected requirements that the bill would require are that any encrypted messages be able to be unscrambled, foreign communication companies must have an office in the US be capable of providing intercepts, and peer-to-peer communication providers redesign their programs to accommodate for the new policy.
At first glance, this new bill may seem like an intrusion of the public's freedom, but all wiretaps of communication must be "lawfully authorized intercepts." The government is not going to completely monitor everything at once. It is something that that they would go back and look at the information for. It is not clear as to who or what will authorize these intercepts.
I personally believe that this new policy would bring about a lot of chatter about whether this is fair to the privacy of the citizens of our nation. At the same time, I have a complete understanding of the reason for this wiretapping. Being a student worker for the Information Technology Systems Division at UNCW, and as the article states, this will increase the number of 'holes' in technology allowing for not just hackers, but anyone tech savvy to access important information.
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