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Speak softly...the FBI may be listening
7 comments- IT TOPICS:Government & Regulation, Networking, Security
It just became much, much easier for the FBI to tap your Internet connection or listen in on your VoIP call. This past Monday was the deadline for all ISPs, VoIP providers, and some universities to comply with the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA).
CALEA requires that "telecommunications carriers and manufacturers of telecommunications equipment modify and design their equipment, facilities, and services to ensure that they have the necessary surveillance capabilities."
In other words, they have to provide an easy way for the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to be able to tap your Internet connection, phone, VoIP call, and more.
There are certainly good reasons why law enforcement needs to get access to electronic communications. But there are great dangers to that as well. The worst is this: Because it is now so easy to do electronic surveillance, the FBI and others will do it more, whether or not it's needed.
It's a simple rule of human nature. The easier something is to do, the more likely it is that people -- and governments -- will do it.
We've already seen with the NSA scandal that the government can't be trusted with our privacy. Now we can trust it even less.
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