Politicians Blame P2P Software For Not Stopping Gov't Employee Stupidity
from the no,-seriously dept
Would you elect as your Congressional representative someone who blamed automakers because a bad driver crashed a car through his or her own negligence? Would you elect as your Congressional representative someone who claimed that email was a threat to national security because it can (and has) been used by spies to transmit confidential data? Probably not. Why? Because that's clearly misplaced blame. However, it appears that we have elected Congressional representatives who have made an almost identical argument and stick by it when it's pointed out how ridiculous it is. A bunch of our representatives are pushing for laws against file sharing networks claiming that file sharing is a national security threat. Why? Because some idiot government employees, against gov't regulations and policy, installed file sharing networks on their computers and then screwed up the installation to make confidential files available via P2P. Yes. Because government employees are stupid and disobeying rules, file sharing system providers must be punished. This is based on an equally poorly argued USPTO report from a few months ago that incorrectly blamed P2P networks for gov't employees stupidity.In the meantime, while this magical law is being written, (and we can't wait to see the law that will somehow punish P2P software providers in a way that prevents gov't employee stupidity), many Congresscritters teamed up to scold the head of file sharing software firm Limewire. Rep. Jim Cooper accused Limewire's CEO of being naive (amusing, since Cooper doesn't appear to understand what he's talking about) and claiming that Limewire provided the "skeleton keys" to accessing material that harms national security. If that's true, then it's equally true that any internet provider is providing similar skeleton keys. And any search engine. Plus any computer maker. Or any telephone maker or service provider. They're all about as equally guilty as any P2P provider. Yet why isn't Cooper harassing any of their executives? Cooper goes on to demonstrate his complete ignorance of what's going on by saying: "you seem to lack imagination about how your product can be deliberately misused by evildoers against this country." That's laughably wrong. The misuse isn't by so-called "evildoers." It's by gov't employees who are disobeying policy and stupidly revealing confidential documents by misusing the software. Rep. Darrell Issa then warned Limewire that it may find itself legally liable if someone were stupid enough to share their tax returns via Limewire. Does this mean if I were so stupid to post my tax returns to Blogspot that I could sue Google? Technically, that's no different than Issa's argument. This is yet another case where politicians want to regulate a technology they don't understand.
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Filed Under: congress, file sharing, national security, p2p
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This is Scary
Or what about Windows Live Messenger's "shared folders" feature? Surely it does the same thing?
Of course they won't.
It's not about "National Security". It's an opportunity to earn campaign donations from Hollywood.
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Reminds me of a similar case...
BMR777
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I have a feeling that IQ and Power are inversely proportional.
While Funny(but sad) comments and Power are directly proportional.
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Re: IQ and Power are inversely proportiona
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Imprison the guys that make bullets. Or lead.
As far as not understanding that which they govern, it's a common (and long-term) problem in politics. Wait till they start governing medical services in a big way!
Scientists, engineers, and other knowledge-oriented disciplines are WAY underrepresented in statehouses. What happened to USEFUL diversity in government?
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Sounds Like BS
Most likely this was some congressional staffer who installed P2P software, since the congress exempts themselves of all of the security regulations that they apply to the rest of the government.
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Re: Sounds Like BS
The DoD has some very exceptionally bright security experts, they also have some, shall we say, less than dim security experts.
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More sense
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I love
Thank you so much for Seinfeld and your political/legal system.
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Jail time, not firing
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.torrent
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Not Stupid... Generally.
something stupid, it's because they're trying to hide
their true intent.
I think Jack is spot on. This is just a convenient
excuse for these whores, I'm sorry I mean politicians
to serve their RIAA clients.
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Jack makes a good point
It seems as though it would not be possible to even install the program or share anything without IT knowing about it. I know this because I am an IT guy.
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blame the IT dept
If a car accident happens at an intersection where both streets have "yield" signs, would you blame the drivers for the accident, or the people who didn't put better preventative measures in place? I'd say both... but the traffic planners are the only ones with authority to put stop signs up.
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We are now calling ALL government employee's STUPID because every single person that takes a government jobs know full well that they are jumping on the "Gravy Train" that STEALS working Americans money without their consent filling their bank account and retirment account up with my money without concern.
Guilt by association you stupid motherf#$#ers!
It's time for a Civil War against ALL (self proclaimed) Civil servants. What a oxymoron that is eh....
Do any of you even realize that almost half of Americans (48%) get their paycheck directly from a Government? In other words MY MONEY!!!!! At what point do we stop calling America a Republic and start calling it what it is. A Communist regime? Hillary is chomping at the bit to take over. Be scared, be very scared...
If we can convince 100 million American Patriots to stop paying taxes (claim 10 on W2) then on April 15th we will see how these idiot traitors against the American dream can last without OUR MONEY...
As the idiots said during the illegal immigrant fiasco they cannot round up 12 million criminals then why should 100 million worry?
It is time....
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Hidden Agenda
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That is really... Claiming that free speech/free information is a threat to 'national security'. Actually, it's a threat to political power and their right to cover their own corruption.
Just more work from our 'representatives' to take away our rights.
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The Real Problem
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The coming storm
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Re: The coming storm
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Re: The coming storm
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Re: The coming storm
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Heck, at first I thought 'no way', but you know - it's just a matter of History repeating itself. The 'Elites' once again, look to gain absolute control over the 'serfs'.
Because - absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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WTF?!
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I call bullsh!t
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gov't agencies do ban P2P software
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Re:
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*sigh*
The land of the great.
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Wow
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What about airplanes
Why isn't Congress scolding the CEO of American Airlines for his lack of imagination over this deliberate misuse of an airplane?
But, too many people have been brainwashed by the RIAA and MPAA into thinking the p2p networks are evil.
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Re:
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Motion of No Confidence
I wonder if there some new world I can move to...this one is run by idiots...
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Police in Japan
At any rate, the government's reaction was rational : they fired him, then tried to cover up the damage that they did. They did not go after the makers of the p2p software, knowing full well that it was hopeless.
I would think that the government could follow the simple rule that the enemy you know is better than the enemy you make. By "banning" p2p makers, you will only drive innovation off the island. Way to go America! Thanks for the Dark Ages, Part II.
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What else can we do away with?
Morons. Which bloody holes do they crawl out of anyway? And how the **** do they end up in the Senate and even become the President anyway? This country seems to be going to the dogs...
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The system has failed
This entire thing is a ploy by the RIAA/MPAA and the politicans they have in their pockets. "OH MY GOD!!! People aren't paying for our highly overpriced garbage!! How will we survive with only 20 million per year instead of our previous 80 million?? We'll be poor!!!" Horseshit!! It used to be said that the sharing of files hurt the artists, when they only get pennies per CD purchased. Their real income is playing live, going on tour, and license merchandise (as well as right's payments for authoring the music when it's played by radio stations and such).
So, when they said that the software was installed, they are full of shit because it's not something that just appears on the computer. Damn dumb bastard politicans! If you don't have more common sense and intelligence than the common piss-ant, then you should be shot, end of discussion.
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Sharing Confidential Files - Smart people doing du
Should Limeware be outlawed for offering free file sharing? The question really is why someone in their right mind is even tempted to share confidential information in this manner. Does their organization offer an easy-to-use, secure means for the transfer of large files? Smart people will find a way to get the job done; unfortunately security is often of secondary concern when evaluating their options. Government and corporate employees are no different in this regard. The difficulty of sending large files over the Internet has frustrated a lot of people in the past, and still does today.
In many organizations email attachments greater than 10MB are typically blocked. Sounds like a good IT move to keep control of email storage demands, and not bog down email performance with large file delivery. The only problem is that many files used everyday in business, and the government, are larger than 10MB.
What options do people have who need to send a large file? If an IT organization isn't providing a secure large file transfer capability that is readily accessible to business (and government) users, then people will find their own way. Historically, the choice of software tools for secure large file transfer have not been very user friendly, or easily accessible. No wonder P2P looks tempting. However times are a-changing. Accellion is a secure file transfer capability in use by government, and corporate users, that focuses on ensuring file security while at the same time letting people get their jobs done.
Rather than outlaw P2P software, how about ensuring government (and corporate) employees have the right tool to share files securely? Accellion.
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Re:
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Government interference
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