Vint Cerf Slams Congress Over CISPA

from the good-for-him dept

While there have been some claims that Google has supported CISPA (whereas the company does not appear to have taken an official position), at least one top person at Google is not at all pleased with the bill. Vint Cerf apparently blasted Congress about CISPA, noting that the bill went way too far.
Cerf, who is an "Internet evangelist" (Vice President) at Google, had some particularly harsh words for the Cybersecurity and Intelligence Protection Act (CISPA), saying it wasn't specific enough on how shared information between government and corporations would be used.
It's good to see more and more internet experts speaking out about why the bill is so bad. It's too bad that Google hasn't taken an official position on CISPA yet.
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Filed Under: cispa, cybersecurity, vint cerf
Companies: google


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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 May 2012 @ 12:04pm

    Someday Americans will wake up to the fact that their country was taken over by Anonymous Wealthy Fascists (who own almost everything including the spying/snooping/surveillance/privacy invasion industries making piss-pots full of your money, own your media, own your war industry and even own the your "Gubbermint" you dunb shits are conned into thinking you voted for.

    The Anonymous Wealthy Fascists are out to get all your personal information so as to more effectively MARKET SHIT AT YOU DUMMIES and take the rest of your money.

    Protection them from terrorism, my ass! Tell the dopes another fucking whopper - they're so stupid and gullible they'll buy any shit.

    P.T. Barnum was wrong. In America, there's one born every goddamned millisecond.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      weneedhelp (profile), 25 May 2012 @ 12:14pm

      Re:

      "Someday Americans will wake up to the fact that their country was taken over by"

      No they wont. Just like the Germans and Russians, or any other country where the mass media is a propaganda tool, and the people are kept in the dark. Not just America. Go hate elsewhere.

      Anonymous Wealthy Fascists? We know who they are, not so anonymous. You live under a rock?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mike Masnick (profile), 25 May 2012 @ 2:49pm

      Re:

      P.T. Barnum was wrong. In America, there's one born every goddamned millisecond.


      No comment on the rest of your comment, but PT Barnum never said that:

      http://www.historybuff.com/library/refbarnum.html

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 25 May 2012 @ 7:33pm

      Re:

      "their country was taken over by Anonymous Wealthy Fascists"

      Coming from an anonymous commenter ...

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Jack Furlong (profile), 25 May 2012 @ 12:17pm

    Google has had to deal with enough criticism over the sharing of information between their sites, and with their trading partners. Why get involved with this as well?

    Besides they likely feel they're catching enough flack from the Government, the RIAA and the MPAA over "not doing enough to curb piracy"...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 25 May 2012 @ 12:30pm

      Re:

      Google should just buy out all of the RIAA/MPAA studios and fire all of their top executives.

      Then again, they would probably be investigated for anti-competitive behavior if they did that.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Joly MacFie (profile), 25 May 2012 @ 1:16pm

    Video of Vint's speech

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 May 2012 @ 1:37pm

    Google has been in certain senators sights for a long time, so is probably lying low. i doubt if it will take a definite stance until it finds out how much damage could be inflicted on it

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Jeremy2020 (profile), 25 May 2012 @ 1:40pm

      Re:

      lying low won't stop the crusade, only giving in will do so (and Google probably will give in eventually)

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Khaim (profile), 25 May 2012 @ 4:50pm

      Agreed

      I think you're right. Unlike SOPA/PIPA, this bill doesn't directly hurt Google, so while they may not like it, it's not worth their rapidly vanishing PR clout to fight against it.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    gorehound (profile), 25 May 2012 @ 2:09pm

    CISPA Is Shit !!!
    Giving the Government all your info and giving the Security Company friends of the Government nice Contracts all paid for by the Public.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 May 2012 @ 3:26pm

    It's quite unfortunate that technological policy is being made mostly by people who have less than no clue what they are doing.

    It reminds me of when I help associates with technical problems and they look at me like I am some sort of genius, while the people who really know their stuff just smirk and shake their heads (although they are always glad to help me when I have problems because I save them a significant amount of time doing what are basically petty tasks).

    The problem is the sort of people who can eat me for lunch when it comes to tech stuff, and realize how utterly useless they effort they are making truly are, tend to consider the people making such policies philosophically repugnant and dislike even being in the same room as them.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 May 2012 @ 6:59pm

    CISPA Is All About the NSA

    CISPA is a creature of the NSA. It is all about legalising what will go on in the NSA's massive new data centre. How about some more attention on the NSA? They are the ones pushing behind the scenes. There must be lying "reports" from the NSA to members of Congress, designed to persuade them that CISPA is a good idea. How about blowing the cover on those reports?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 May 2012 @ 9:58am

    What bullshit. Google lobbyists are in lobbying FOR the bill while their PR people are busy buying them time. There was a recent article in The Hill about their lobbying efforts. If they don't have a position what is the point of lobbying?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Rwolf, 29 May 2012 @ 11:35pm

    CISPA

    Is CISPA A Government Trojan Horse?

    U.S. Government Can Use CISPA To Control and Forfeit Corporations & Businesses.
    CISPA: The Cyber Information Sharing and Protection Act if passed by Congress would allow U.S. Spy and other government agencies to share confidential Internet and other information with Government Certified Self Protected Cyber Entities, Certified Cyber Entity Employees and Elements in both government and private sectors to help protect them—against Cyber threats.

    However—CISPA would also allow Government agencies, police and government quasi/contractors (WITHOUT WARRANTS) OR LIABILITY to take out of context—any innocent hastily written email, fax or other Internet activity to allege a crime or violation was committed to cause a person’s arrest, assess fines or civilly forfeit a business or person’s property. U.S. There are more than 350 laws and violations that can subject property to government asset forfeiture. Government civil asset forfeiture requires only a civil preponderance of evidence for police to forfeit property, little more than hearsay. No one need be charged with a crime. Corrupt Police can even create the hearsay. Government can use CISPA to (certify any Self Protected Cyber Entity or their employee—to spy on their employers and clients: (CIVIL Asset Forfeiture Incentive). U.S. Government is not prohibited from paying any Government Certified Cyber Self Protected Entity or Employee; or Element part of government forfeited assets or other compensation that result from the aforementioned providing U.S. Government a corporation’s or clients’ private/confidential information—that (now) require a warrant or court order. Federal. Government currently contracts on a fee/commission-sharing basis with Self Protected Cyber Entities, Elements and Contractors that have security clearances to participate in facilitating arrests and Government asset forfeitures. It is expected U.S. Government, police and private contractors’—Civil Asset Forfeiture of Americans’ property will greatly escalate if CISPA is passed allowing Government certified private cyber entities and their employees—No Warrant Searches of persons’ and Businesses’ confidential Internet Information—that can be handed over to the government e.g. private emails, faxes, phone and transmitted files for investigation, prosecution and asset forfeiture—circumventing the Fourth Amendment.

    Since CISPA, two additional cyber-security bills have been created in the Senate called, “The Cyber Security Act of 2012” and “SECURE IT Act”. Both bills appear unconstitutional; appear designed to circumvent the Fourth Amendment and public Freedom of Information Requests. The Cyber Security Act of 2012 formally known as S. 2105 was created by Senate Democrats, Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins. Similar to CISPA, the Cyber security Act of 2012 would abolish legal walls that stop Federal government and private companies sharing information.

    The SECURE IT ACT: S. 2151 was introduced by Senate Republicans on March 1st 2012: would (require) federal contractors to alert government about any cyber threats, forcing such communications between government regulators and corporations. The SECURE IT Act authorizes sharing of persons’ private Internet information (without a warrant) going beyond what is necessary to report a believed cyber threat. SECURE It Act fails to create a regulatory system at the Federal level to oversee cyber-security threats opening the door for persons’ and businesses’ confidential information to be misused and misappropriated by government agencies and private sector government certified cyber entities.

    Under CISPA: Government should be prohibited from using so-call (Certified Self Protected Cyber Entities, their Employees) and Elements to circumvent the Fourth Amendment; escape Public Freedom of Information Requests. CORRUPTED: Government Certified Self Protected Cyber Entities and Employees, U.S. Government Agencies, Contractors and Police too easily may use someone’s confidential Internet Information, e.g. transmitted files and private emails collected (without warrants) to extort Americans, corporations, politicians; for compensation, target a businesses’ competitor; or sell private information gleaned from warrant-less Internet Surveillance.

    If CISPA is passed allowing NO Warrant private self protected cyber entity spying, some Internet writers and political activists might be dead-meat under NDAA. Americans” who write on the Internet or verbally express an opinion against any entity of U.S. Government or its coalition partners—may under The Defense Authorization Act of 2012—be deemed by U.S. Government (someone likely to engage in, support or provoke violent acts or threaten National Security)— or (Belligerent) to order an American writer or activist’s indefinite prison detention.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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