FBI is quietly pushing its plan to force surveillance backdoors on social networks

[stu2002]

The FBI is asking Internet companies not to oppose a controversial proposal that would require firms, including Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo, and Google, to build in backdoors for government surveillance.

In meetings with industry representatives, the White House, and U.S. senators, senior FBI officials argue the dramatic shift in communication from the telephone system to the Internet has made it far more difficult for agents to wiretap Americans suspected of illegal activities, CNET has learned.

The FBI general counsel's office has drafted a proposed law that the bureau claims is the best solution: requiring that social-networking Web sites and providers of VoIP, instant messaging, and Web e-mail alter their code to ensure their products are wiretap-friendly.

"If you create a service, product, or app that allows a user to communicate, you get the privilege of adding that extra coding," an industry representative who has reviewed the FBI's draft legislation told CNET. The requirements apply only if a threshold of a certain number of users is exceeded, according to a second industry representative briefed on it.

The FBI's proposal would amend a 1994 law, called the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, or CALEA, that currently applies only to telecommunications providers, not Web companies. The Federal Communications Commission extended CALEA in 2004 to apply to broadband networks.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-574...web-sites-now/

[mosquitobite]

Everyone of us is criminal now. Only the silent sheep are innocent.

[CaptUSA]

Case in point...

This is on Drudge today:
http://www.wnd.com/2012/05/kids-rape...acebook-pages/

This describes why we need this surveillance. Think of the children!!!

Nevermind that this type of activity probably encompasses less than a hundredth of a percent of FB activity, but if we don't get Big Brother involved, we are just allowing this to go on.

[kcchiefs6465]

Facebook and Google etc. do not need backdoors to spy on the American people. It disgusts me how "convienant" my ads have become. Federal Reserve bull$#@! and the like. As if they are taunting me. Watch a Ron Paul video? Well lets pop up an ad that shows the pros of Romney. It is creepy to say the least. I'm sure the backdoors would just make it to where the FBI can do their own surveillance, instead of relying on someone from the company.

[kuckfeynes]

Best to assume that this is already being done, even if your privacy controls are tight.
This just means they can do it more blatantly.
If they can farm your info for advertising profits then they can hand it over to Uncle Sam just as easily, and they will.
With all the money spent on lobbying the thugs they're not going to get a little personal info jeopardize their good graces.

[Lishy]

Oh hi, we're totally going to find more radical jihadists if we monitor the web!

I am in favor because we must catch these criminals who threaten our society, and our FBI requires the tools needed to do so!

[Voluntary Man]

just another reason not to book your face.

[Voluntary Man]

Case in point...

This is on Drudge today:
http://www.wnd.com/2012/05/kids-rape...acebook-pages/

This describes why we need this surveillance. Think of the children!!!

Nevermind that this type of activity probably encompasses less than a hundredth of a percent of FB activity, but if we don't get Big Brother involved, we are just allowing this to go on.

and all of those pictures are probably posted by the perverts who populate CPS and fostercare.