Bill Gives Obama 'Control' of the Internet

[lumberjack4]

New Bill Gives Obama ‘Kill Switch’ To Shut Down The Internet

The federal government would have “absolute power” to shut down the Internet under the terms of a new US Senate bill being pushed by Joe Lieberman, legislation which would hand President Obama a figurative “kill switch” to seize control of the world wide web in response to a Homeland Security directive.

Technology lobbying group TechAmerica warned that the legislation created “the potential for absolute power,” while the Center for Democracy and Technology worried that the bill’s emergency powers “include authority to shut down or limit internet traffic on private systems.”

Just what we need...

 

[Through_The_T]

This guy reminds me of Vladimir Lenin more and more with each passing day. Unreal....

 

[DC Vol]

This isn't a bad thing, depending on how it's implemented and kept in check.

 

[BigPapaVol]

This isn't a bad thing, depending on how it's implemented and kept in check.

sounds crazy to me.

 

[DC Vol]

sounds crazy to me.

There does need to be an authorized system in place in order to protect the nations technology infrastructure in the event of an emergency.

This bill is not it... but the theory is correct.

 

[droski]

gives way too much power to the govt. what are we china?

all the govt should be doing aobut the internet is legalizing gambling.

 

[lumberjack4]

There does need to be an authorized system in place in order to protect the nations technology infrastructure in the event of an emergency.

This bill is not it... but the theory is correct.

The solution to this problem is to build secure infrastructure, not halfa** it and close the entire internet because you're incompetent. The part that really burns me is the fact that the government can force the shut down of private networks. If this passes, it will be abused by both sides. You might not notice anything for a while and then all of a sudden we'll have Orwellian controls on the internet under the guise of public safety.

 

[DC Vol]

The solution to this problem is to build secure infrastructure, not halfa** it and close the entire internet because you're incompetent. The part that really burns me is the fact that the government can force the shut down of private networks. If this passes, it will be abused by both sides. You might not notice anything for a while and then all of a sudden we'll have Orwellian controls on the internet under the guise of public safety.

And where is that funding going to come from?

And what I was lobbying for isn't about government control of the nation's technology assets, censorship or other ignorant rabble rabbling.

 

[utvolpj]

And where is that funding going to come from?

Obama has already said high-speed internet should be given to every American. Why not just build the gov't stuff at the same time? It would create lots of jobs...

 

[lumberjack4]

And where is that funding going to come from?

We have plenty of funding. In many instances, the problem is the government employee or with Congress dictating standards and procedures for things they can't even spell, much less have even heard of before.

 

[MG1968]

I thought Tipper would get control of the internet as long as Al gets to keep the G5 and the new house in California.

 

[DC Vol]

We have plenty of funding. In many instances, the problem is the government employee or with Congress dictating standards and procedures for things they can't even spell, much less have even heard of before.

So you think the gov't should fork over billions for beefing up our tech infrastructure and provide no oversight of it from a security standpoint?

This isn't about FOI from an ISP standpoint. This is about them not wanting to fit the bill and maintain compliance which will definitely cut into their bottom line.

 

[lumberjack4]

So you think the gov't should fork over billions for beefing up our tech infrastructure and provide no oversight of it from a security standpoint?

This isn't about FOI from an ISP standpoint. This is about them not wanting to fit the bill and maintain compliance which will definitely cut into their bottom line.

I'm not arguing that there should be no government oversight to protect electric grids and the like, I was simply commenting that cyber security is like everything else when it comes to Congress. Magically they're experts on everything, even if they have no background whatsoever on a subject. Instead of throwing down mandates on how something should be done regardless if it makes sense or not, assemble a panel of experts with the know-how and let them make the recommendations. I am perfectly aware that we have this kind of setup in theory, except that Congress has to add their own rules and procedures that makes the whole thing a cluster.

They are now arguing about Net Neutrality when 70% of them had never heard the phrase until 3 months ago, but somehow they know whats best for a consumer and an industry. When you have uninformed and uneducated people telling the experts how to do something, its no wonder what you get back is crap.

 

[DC Vol]

I'm not arguing that there should be no government oversight to protect electric grids and the like, I was simply commenting that cyber security is like everything else when it comes to Congress. Magically they're experts on everything, even if they have no background whatsoever on a subject. Instead of throwing down mandates on how something should be done regardless if it makes sense or not, assemble a panel of experts with the know-how and let them make the recommendations. I am perfectly aware that we have this kind of setup in theory, except that Congress has to add their own rules and procedures that makes the whole thing a cluster.

They are now arguing about Net Neutrality when 70% of them had never heard the phrase until 3 months ago, but somehow they know whats best for a consumer and an industry. When you have uninformed and uneducated people telling the experts how to do something, its no wonder what you get back is crap.

That's exactly why I'll reiterate my original point:

There does need to be an authorized system in place in order to protect the nations technology infrastructure in the event of an emergency.

This bill is not it... but the theory is correct.


In no way, shape or form do I advocate non-emergency Federal oversight, regulation or control of our technology infrastructure.

 

[GahLee]

Giving an incompetent fool like Obama free reigns to a shutoff valve to the entire internet seems insanely moronic.

 

[gsvol]

Giving an incompetent fool like Obama free reigns to a shutoff valve to the entire internet seems insanely moronic.

I agree, but with the caveat that 'insanely moronic' is an understatement!!