FBI Wants More Power To Monitor Internet Activity

from the because-they're-so-trustworthy dept

Wed, Apr 23rd 2008 8:19pm — Mike Masnick

The FBI, which still can't even get its own computer network working properly, would rather just have more widespread access to spy on the computer network everyone else uses: the internet. Talking to Congress today, the FBI proposed a few different things, including the right to more widely spy on internet activity as well as legislation to force ISPs to retain log file data for an extended period of time. While the Congressional reps in attendance seemed to respond by saying "sure, sounds great" to both of these suggestion, both should actually be looked at much more closely.

More freedom to spy on internet usage potentially violates the 4th Amendment as well as federal wiretap laws. Given the evidence that the FBI has widely abused its ability to wiretap, this should be a major concern. As for data retention, problems with such an idea have been chronicled for years. It tends to put a tremendous expense on ISPs for no real reason -- and it tends to make it even harder to find the type of data authorities actually need to deal with criminal activities. If you're in the FBI, it's no surprise that you'd want both things in place, but that hardly means Congress should roll over and give them to the FBI.

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Filed Under: congress, data retention, fbi, internet, monitoring, wiretap
Companies: congress, fbi

20 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 23 Apr 2008 @ 8:58pm

What's new? Republicans hire security analysts, whose job is to see anything new as a threat.

Then their agenda is pushed forward, budgets are approved, and their security analyst friends throw a party for them at their $15M estate in Texas.

It's fun to watch.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Apr 2008 @ 9:32pm

Upcoming News: Death of America
They are just BEGGING for a revolution.

Seriously, a very large portion of the news in regards to our National Government and even most (if not all) State Governments is Bad news. This kind of behavior screams against the intent of the Constitution.

The Police are supposed to be a Reactionary force by the way. You don't pre-emptively prevent anything. You can interrupt Conspiracy (for example planning a murder) but you can't prevent a murder that you have no idea is even going to happen.

Let me clarify the last bit there: If someone is wearing a black trench coat and sunglasses it does not mean he is going to go on a shooting spree, even if he is on a school campus. Sure, fine, be SUSPICIOUS about him, but you don't shoot him and then go "oops, thought he was going to be a multiple murderer. my bad" when it turns out he's blind.

Similar kind of thinking. Lets collect data on people BEFORE we suspect them of a crime so that if/when they do we have evidence against them.

Sorry but no. Back to the Constitution again and its intent. The way it is DESIGNED to work is 9 GUILTY men GO FREE in order to prevent 1 INNOCENT from going to JAIL. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

Nothing pisses me off more than some bigot who wants things his way tricking people into destroying their way of life slowly.

Congratulations America. Your apathy is slowly turning you into a Facist country rather than a Representative Republic. A shame most of us don't realise it started a lot earlier than they think.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Apr 2008 @ 9:35pm

Re:
Just posted comment #2 but I have to correct you here:

It was a BI-PARTISAN push. Democrats AND Republicans.

I generally vote democrat, but I'm not blind. Both Democrats and Republicans are just as Evil as the other. Both have strong business ties, and both pretend to be for the common man.

The only difference is which party thinks the world is going to end in their lifetime and don't do future planning and the other doesn't care to plan for much. Subtle difference, and a shitty choice but thanks to a destruction of values that has gone on for over a century here we are.
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R. Paul Waddington, 23 Apr 2008 @ 10:24pm

Why worry about the FBI and not the CAD software industry?
The FBI needs not ask for greater access. All they need to do is purchase a software company with products we all use. As we are already seeing in CAD and other software products the software reports back to the vendors on "usage" and yet we have absolutely no idea what these guys are taking off our systems and my experience has shown they will not provide details of what has been taken when the act has been uncovered. It's not spying because the EULA has provisions for electronic audits and access and it's happening right NOW. Software companies are already doing what the FBI seems to be asking for it's just that a company says it for product development (rubbish) and the FBI would use it for national security; why stop the FBI from doing what we are all letting software vendors?
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Apr 2008 @ 11:04pm

HELP! I am surrounded by conspiracy therorists!
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Peebles McGuire, 23 Apr 2008 @ 11:11pm

Re: Re:
I generally vote democrat, but I'm not blind. Both Democrats and Republicans are just as Evil as the other. Both have strong business ties, and both pretend to be for the common man.

What are your thoughts on the upcoming election?
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Apr 2008 @ 11:34pm

Re:
> HELP! I am surrounded by conspiracy therorists!

Meaning what exactly? Did you actually read the articles?

Attitudes like yours are exactly why this country is heading towards fascism.
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krsd, 23 Apr 2008 @ 11:36pm

Re: Re: Re:
As a friend of mine put it:
"One party is evil, and the other one is stupid. You figure out which is which."
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Apr 2008 @ 11:46pm

Re: Re:
How is Area 51 doing these days?
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JLE, 24 Apr 2008 @ 12:33am

They motives are monetary. Just watch it happen. It will, and that's not conspiracy.
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JLE, 24 Apr 2008 @ 12:33am

Whoa, "their."
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ToySouljah, 24 Apr 2008 @ 12:34am

Re:
I guess ignorance really is bliss huh?

The revolution will be televised, but not through the peoples eyes. It will be reported through the governments lies. True patriots of this country are now labeled terrorists for speaking out against the government. They are still trying to take away our guns by passing gun "control" laws...ever wonder why? It's hard for the people to revolt without weapons. The government is now scared of its own people because they know we are getting fed up with their lies and greed.

Sheep like you who claim everything is a conspiracy theory are too blind to read between the lines. You seem like a big Fox News fan to me. Yeah, keep believing everything is okay. It makes it easier for them to strip your freedom just the way they like it. If you honestly can not see the changes this country has undergone even in the past decade then you need to wake up and stop watching government funded media coverage. Fox is good for a laugh once in a while, but only to see what the feds want people to believe. The next civil war will between true patriots who are willing to die protecting the Constitution and this country...then there are those like you are willing to protect the government since you are too blinded by their lies.

This country is already split and the time to choose sides is drawing near. The movement has already begun and it's only a matter of time before we the people of the United States of America take back our country from those who would sell it out.
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John, 24 Apr 2008 @ 4:33am

Re: Re: Re:
It's doing great Area 51 is just a tourist base now, disney is helping them put monorails in for everyone.

Area 61! is the new place that our tax dollars has been spent to build the for the past 3 years using that obnoxiously large defense budget. :)
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Apr 2008 @ 5:44am

I smell the RIAA
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Apr 2008 @ 6:18am

Hell, I'll spy on the internet for them. Someone wants to pay me for surfing extremist forums all day, that's fine by me.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Apr 2008 @ 6:24am

Re: Upcoming News: Death of America
1913...when it all started.
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gonnagetya, 24 Apr 2008 @ 8:39am

Re:
Yes little sheep, we are not even hiding anything in secrecy any longer.
You don't read, don't think, are fat and lazy.
You are the new collateral damage.
Our gas shortage, food shortage,next is our flu epidemic.
This will wean a few more of you useless food eaters.
A large portion of you are gonna gladly walk through the front gates of our 'internment' fema camps. We won't have to waste the energy to round you up.
There we take your guns then close the final door on you.
We just laugh our asses off when someone mentions the American public.
Who is gonna help you ? Here's a thought, try dialing '911'.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8797525979024486145
http://antinewworldorder.blog spot.com/2008/04/barak-obama-lying-about-his-cfrnau-ties.html
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ToySouljah, 24 Apr 2008 @ 6:23pm

Re: Re:
lol...like the sarcasm, but sadly it is true (at least about most people in the US). I was watching something on CNN while at lunch and saw something about Wal-mart and Costco rationing rice so people wouldn't hoard it as the prices go up...then I was thinking....aren't they the ones hoarding the supply now to make an even bigger profit as the price goes up? Warehouses have a big inventory (I work for a major grocery warehouse in TX) on hand. We also have a "forward buy" facility for stuff the buyers get a good deal on that can be stored for a long time (nonperishables). SO I'm sure Wal-mart and Costco are not short on supply, but want to create an artificial scarcity in order to drive up prices and with it hitting major media they seem to be doing a good job lining their pockets at our expense yet again. So what is next? "Sorry folks...we will need to limit your milk and bread now, but don't worry...we have plenty...this is just in case there is a shortage."
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Rekrul, 26 Apr 2008 @ 1:44am

I generally vote democrat, but I'm not blind. Both Democrats and Republicans are just as Evil as the other. Both have strong business ties, and both pretend to be for the common man.

Your comments above remind me of a signature I've seen used in the newsgroups. I don't have a copy handy, but as closely as I remember, it went like this;

"The only difference in the wingnuts at each end of the political spectrum is exactly which rights they think we can do without."
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robert gillary, 29 Jul 2010 @ 4:28pm

fbi and power
no more power. they cannot be trusted. j.edger hoover was the biggest abuser of power.
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