Final Text Of CISA Apparently Removed What Little Privacy Protections Had Been In There

from the surprise-surprise dept

Tue, Dec 8th 2015 3:22am — Mike Masnick

Back in October, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to approve CISA, the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, which has nothing to with cybersecurity at all, and is almost entirely a surveillance bill in disguise. Want to know the proof: many of the most vocal supporters of CISA, who talked up how important "cybersecurity" is these days are the very same people now looking to undermine encryption.

Either way, there were significant differences between the version approved in the House, and thus Congress needed to reconcile the bills -- and apparently that means removing what little privacy protections were already in the bill:

And it now appears the final language is unlikely to include notable privacy provisions that digital rights and civil liberties groups insist are necessary to reduce the odds the bill enables greater government surveillance.

Basically, it looks like Congressional leadership decided to pull the worst parts from the various bills and mash them together into a super bill of pure terribleness. Not only will it favor the Senate bill, over the House's, but it will also pull ideas from the competing bill that was put forth by the House Intelligence Committee, rather than the one put forth by the Homeland Security Committee.

That, alone, should be rather telling. For all the talk about how this is about "security" and not at all about helping the intelligence community, why is it that the Intelligence Committee's bill whose language is surviving, while the Homeland Security Committee's language is being deleted?

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Filed Under: cisa, congress, cybersecurity, house, privacy, senate

21 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 3:47am

It is called the military industrial complex. They sell weapons to "terrorists" and then send our sons and daughters into the line of fire of those same weapons. What better way to keep rolling in it than supplying the tools to both sides. You do realize that Hitler's army moved on Ford power plants? I won't even get into what the Bushes and Disney did.If you believe the government wants to stop this carnage you are sadly mistaken. This time it is up to us.
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That One Guy (profile), 8 Dec 2015 @ 3:54am

Of course
And it now appears the final language is unlikely to include notable privacy provisions that digital rights and civil liberties groups insist are necessary to reduce the odds the bill enables greater government surveillance.

Making it better at what it's actually for(increasing spying and the ease of it), rather than what it's defenders have lied and claimed it's for(better security to protect the public).

While it's certainly not a pleasant turn of events, no-one should be surprised by this, as the bill was never meant to help the public.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 4:36am

Hang the lot of them for traitors to freedom. Thye public need to make sure that their "representatives" are punished for stealing their actual freedoms away, and not the perceived ones.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 5:15am

Whose security are they concerned about? Theirs of course - not yours.
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Capt ICE Enforcer (profile), 8 Dec 2015 @ 5:19am

This is BS
This seriously needs to change. I am not talking about only politicians, government agencies, and to big to fail corporations. I am also including everyone else (This font is looking at you TD reader!). This needs to start now, before things get worse.

First, everyone needs to understand something. I mean really focus on this. Nobody on this planet can keep you safe other than yourself. Think about that for a few moments, if you want to be safe, then take actions to help you not become a victim. Laws don't work to stop bad people, and though our militarized peace (Police) officers usually have a very short period to arrive at the scene "Few Minutes" usually it only take a "Few Seconds" to be the victim. Remember, nobody cares more about you than you.

Second; Now that you realize your #1 protection is You and not someone miles away. Realize that this our country, and in fact most of the world is relatively safe. Most of us do not require an armored vehicle to head to the grocery store. So please get out and enjoy the sun.

Third; The government was not made to protect us against the few individuals. But instead, to protect us against other nations. We should hold them accountable for that mission. If they start to stray away from that mission. Then they get FIRED. Trust me, when your paycheck is at risk. You tend to listen to your boss (Boss = You, Me, the People)

Fourth; Terrorist, Terrorist, Terrorist.... OMFG Terrorist. Listen, as a 20 year combat vet. There are bad people out there. But remember the first suggestion. Nobody on this planet can keep you safe, but you. I don't mean everyone should become a ninja master. But I have found that if you carry a gun, most people want to behave and be friendly. I bet you that terrorist would be terrorized of you if they knew that every person around them had weapons. Realize that the government cannot keep you safe from bad individuals or small groups.

Fifth; I have always loved change. Especially in technology. But some changes I personally hate. I went from being a US citizen proud of being known as an American, who has supported and defended the Constitution of the United States ideals. And now, I look at the changes our nation has made. Torturing people, attacking civil rights, invading nations with drone. I now look at us and say this is BS.

The ideals which made us great are now being removed from the history books. I am not an extremist, I am an idealist. Take responsibility for your actions. Hold others responsible for their actions. Quit allowing others to trample our security for the protection of government agencies which have failed at their job. Defend the constitution and the people of this planet.
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JonC (profile), 8 Dec 2015 @ 6:01am

CISA, mandatory data retention, McConnell banning encryption...

With leaders like these, who needs terrorists?
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 6:01am

so at the end the law is to spy and enslave...
WHAT A SURPRISE!
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 6:02am

hey sheeple...
HOW are you going to rationalize this one?
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 6:21am

Re: This is BS
Those who give up liberty for security deserve neither security or liberty.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 6:27am

Re:
The fearless leaders who create and administer these "conflicts" should be the first to have their sons and daughters come home in a box.
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Matt Vvan Slyke, 8 Dec 2015 @ 6:36am

CISA and 9/11
Before labeling me a "Truther", look at the science supporting the need for a new INDEPENDENT investigation. Nearly 2,400 architects and engineers are petitioning for same due to HUGE amounts of solid info. proving the 3 WTC towers were planned demolitions (ae911Truth.org).

It upset all of us wanting truth -- yet it's not easy to accept at first. Once you understand, get active!

Right now there's a bill in the House, H.R. 14, and its Senate version, S. 1728 to de-classify 28 pages which Bush blacked-out for "national security". This year Senators and some Reps who were allowed to read them under strict surveillance without any recording device (pencils included). They say it shows who financed the worst crime in U.S. history (Saudi Arabia) -- AND they say it has more info in there than the two BOGUS reports from the gov't (N.I.S.T. and the 9/11 Commission) WITHOUT posing any threat to our security -- BUT THAT THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE (retired Sen. Graham, FL).

Go to HR14.org. Time to reveal the scum who did 9/11 and who are determined to turn the world into a corporatocracy of elite sociopaths who think they answer to no one while clamping down freedom while exerting their murderous schemes and human exploitation.

Press conf. with Graham and co-sponsors together with 9/11 Families: https://larouchepac.com/20150108/press-conference-28-pages-sen-bob-graham
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 6:59am

Re: CISA and 9/11
michael hastings got the boston brakes because of this
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 7:50am

your new soon to be rulers are exempting themselves while putting the tools in place to put everyone under their thumb.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 7:50am

Just ask the government for information under the FOIA, and watch them make all sorts of excuses related to privacy, including government secrets, as to why they cannot comply. Seems like privacy is for the rulers and not the serfs
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 7:52am

Re:
I have friends naïve enough to think if you have done nothing wrong then this will not affect them. Sad they don't realize the parameters of "doing nothing wrong" keeps changing
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jakerome (profile), 8 Dec 2015 @ 8:25am

Complete Internet Surveillance Act
What else should one expect from the Complete Internet Surveillance Act?
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 8:30am

Re: CISA and 9/11
"proving the 3 WTC towers were planned demolitions"

If this were the case, why did they need airplanes?
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 9:18am

Re: Re:
I've always wondered how so many of the same people who create Congress' avg. 80% disapproval rating are comfortable letting these Senators and Reps run a massive surveillance state with unhindered access to anything and everything they want.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 9:23am

You know it's a shame that no one stopped to think "if we only got a warrant, we wouldn't need to pass these new bullshit laws"....
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 12:48pm

Is the privacy lobby underfunded? Do they not have the resources? Why are they so incredibly weak and ineffectual? This is beyond depressing.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Dec 2015 @ 3:30pm

Senators, If you don't like a land that has freedoms that have been cherished for more than 200 years, go to Russia, China, Iraq or No Korea to live. You don't have to deal with freedom of the people there.

The Senate has become a pandering, panorama of pretencious power want to be at everyone elses' expense.

YOU ARE A PUBLIC SERVANT NOT A KING'S KNIGHT. ACT LIKE ONE! QUIT ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OUR FREEDOMS & RIGHTS AWAY FROM US, CITIZENS OF THE USA, VOTERS BORN OF IMMIGRANTS WHO CAME TO AMERICA AND BECAME CITIZENS THROUGH THE LEGAL PATH TO DO SO. IT IS MY PRAYER THAT ALL OF YOU WHO ARE WORKING AGAINST THE PRINCIPLES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PIMPING & PANDERING FOR THE PRINCIPLE ANTI AMERICAN, OUR PRESIDENT WHO HATES THE USA, WILL ENJOY CELLS NEXT TO EACH OTHER FOR NOT DOING YOUR DUTY......HONORING THE MEANING OF YOUR POSITION(S).....AND FOR WORKING AGAINST THE AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO VOTED FOR YOU. NONE OF YOU ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE VOTED IN SO THAT YOU CAN GAIN POWER, RICHES, NOR TO HAVE ANYTHING BETTER (LIKE YOUR GOLD LINED HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE), & MISUSE OF TAX FUNDS FOR PERSONAL USE. SHAME ON THE SENATE! DO NOT SUPPORT THIS BILL THAT WILL TAKE AWAY MORE OF WHAT LITTLE PRIVACY US CITIZENS HAVE. M. J. ANDERSON
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