Why Does The FBI Let Someone Else Manage Their Email?

from the odd-choices... dept

Just a month or so after it was revealed that a hacker had access to Secret Service emails because at least one agent was doing email from a T-Mobile Sidekick, comes the news that the FBI is shutting down an email system for fear that it's been hacked into. Of course, you shouldn't worry, because this isn't there really important email system, this one is just for... um... show. That is, it's the email system they use when they communicate with the riffraff, rather than for all their secret stuff that they keep separate. Of course, it still makes you wonder why the FBI would contract out management of their email system (even the one for communicating with lowly outsiders) to an outside company? You would think that's the sort of thing that they might want to have control over themselves.
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2005 @ 11:14pm

    No Subject Given

    probably a govt policy of outsourcing ...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    slim999, 7 Feb 2005 @ 8:10am

    Here's why!

    The FBI outsources this because it does not have the technical expertise to manage a computer system.
    It really is THAT simple.
    They can't even make a simple replicated database work (see link).

    Having worked with a few, uh, government IT "experts" I can attest to this purely from personal experience. The government does not value IT skills in its employees to the degree that would cause it to pay these employees what they are worth. The government, thus, gets what it pays for: TechnoDummies.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Russell Cole, 21 Mar 2006 @ 7:25am

    There Seems to be Little Distinction Between the E

    There is a pattern that is emerging. The Executive Branch of government is coalescing with Corporations when it comes to information management and analysis. This is disconcerting because corporate America is actually competent when it comes to profiling individuals based upon their consumption habits. The FBI will be able to declare one of us a terrorist threat prior to our even realizing that we are terrorists, which would probably never occur with which to begin.
    Russell Cole

    link to this | view in chronology ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.