Feds Seek Broader Internet Eavesdropping Rights

Updated 11:31 a.m. ET

Broad new regulations being drafted by the Obama administration would make it easier for law enforcement and national security officials to eavesdrop on Internet and e-mail communications like social networking Web sites and BlackBerries, The New York Times reported Monday.

The newspaper said the White House plans to submit a bill next year that would require all online services that enable communications to be technically equipped to comply with a wiretap order. That would include providers of encrypted e-mail, such as BlackBerry, networking sites like Facebook and direct communication services like Skype.

Federal law enforcement and national security officials say new the regulations are needed because terrorists and criminals are increasingly giving up their phones to communicate online.

The proposal is certain to enliven the debate over the delicate balance between personal privacy and the government's need to monitor potential security threats evolving on terror groups' new communication mode of choice - the Internet.

"They are really asking for the authority to redesign services that take advantage of the unique, and now pervasive, architecture of the Internet," James X. Dempsey, of the Center for Democracy and Technology, told the newspaper. "They basically want to turn back the clock and make Internet services function the way that the telephone system used to function."

"We're talking about lawfully authorized intercepts," said FBI lawyer Valerie E. Caproni. "We're not talking about expanding authority. We're talking about preserving our ability to execute our existing authority in order to protect the public safety and national security."

The White House plans to submit the proposed legislation to Congress next year.

The new regulations would raise new questions about protecting people's privacy while balancing national security concerns.

James Dempsey, the vice president of the Center for Democracy and Technology, an Internet policy group, said the new regulations would have "huge implications."

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"They basically want to turn back the clock and make Internet services function the way that the telephone system used to function," he told the Times.

The Times said the Obama proposal would likely include several requires:

• Any service that provides encrypted messages must be capable of unscrambling them.

• Any foreign communications providers that do business in the U.S. would have to have an office in the United States that's capable of providing intercepts.

• Software developers of peer-to-peer communications services would be required to redesign their products to allow interception.

The Times said that some privacy and technology advocates say the regulations would create weaknesses in the technology that hackers could more easily exploit.

[fortuenti]

The Pledge of Allegiance:
~ Strike "GOD" and replace with "SURVEILLANCE"
~ Insert "SHARPLY CURTAILED" between "WITH" and "LIBERTY"
-- Insert "OF THOSE RICH ENOUGH TO HIRE THE MOST EXPENSIVE ATTORNEYS" after "ALL"

[ET4321]

This is just another way government can gain control of the people. Wait until you can't go to the doctor without the government knowing all your personal information. What decisions are they going to make for you. You need the wrong person in control and we are in trouble. I've heard it said that all we would need is a national emergency where martial law is called for. Then just keep it that way. Ok I guess more control of our money will be next. Ofcourse we do so much of that on the internet that won't be hard to do.

[my2cents2u]

Big Brother is alive and well and expanding his reach deeper and deeper into our lives and our brains. Get used to it. No matter who is in office - it will only get worse from here.

[mb91764]

How come this come as a surprise to some people,patroit act,anybody hear of it.Homeland serurity,cia,nsa,etc.This crap started long before most of us were even born.Just look at free speech,only if you don't offend somebody,which is everbody these days.One comment got it right you are a number nothing else.Even your vote for our president is nothing really,ever heard of the electroe college,they got Bush into office when GOre won the peoples vote.Most americans can't think that far back.Also what happening to Lohen and dancng with the stars,very important stuff for you retards out there.Anyhow theres nothing you are me can do about it,we to far gone.Hey, if you got afew billion,and a congressman in your pocket then you got power to do as you please.

[freecountrymyass]

what about free country so many people tell me that is why we live in a free country. That is why our soldiers go to war so we can be free. yes......let me think that is the biggest $##$$$##$^$^ . now with our government drawing up this new law for mor control of the internet to eavesdrop on everyone under Obama we really started to go from free to slavery by our government. thanks Obama for bringing back slavery under a new color. Or is our presidents eyes closed to that. you send our troops to fight for our freedom and show us all this countries we are fighting with be bad. what is wrong with that picture. we the USA have more people in jail than china. or any other country in the world what is wrong with this picture. The internet is the only thing that belongs to everyone and you try to take this away from us also. how free are we really if you do this. lets start putting numbers on every person instead of names, oh hold on we already done that with the social security number well as A citizen of the USA we are only a number we have no rights. in the courthouses you are guilty firs. this is why police arrests you firs before asking questions. Insurance why do we have them if they don't pay or protect one if one had an accident, but the government requires you to have insurance. like i said the internet belongs to everyone not the government of any country. let the internet be free so we as the people will have something to hold on.

[mahdeealoo]

Makes me want to throw my computer away. Hasn't our privacy been invaded enough? geesh.

[rockcutr]

this is like swatting flies in a fish mongers trash barrel. A never ending job and mostly ya just end up smelling like fish rather than getting a bunch of flies to feed your pet Kermit. While all of this may sound good. The effeciency and effectivity is hogwash. There is none. Just more wasted tax dollars on decreasing the citizens privacy. "Don't Tread on Me!"

[Smiley-Dave]

i use a 256 encryption code works great

[Smiley-Dave]

Get out of Texas were you can do some good .
you sound like a thinker. But those are not wanted
In texas

[bballoon-2009]

Our problem is not government, or monitoring, or even privacy. Our problem is sin. (It sounds like a cheesy answer, but it's not). By that I mean, if people in this world continually do evil, harmful things, which require protection, that gives the government the duty to protect its people by monitor those things to try and keep people safe.

If people had nothing to hide, and obeyed the law, people wouldn't care if interception were only being done for national safety or counter-terrorism, because they know they wouldn't get caught doing anything anyway. Is it sad that we're coming to this point of monitoring? Absolutely it is. But evil has gotten us to this point. Is it avoidable, given the constantly expanding internet-based world in which power grids, all types of communication, banks, and soon our home appliances will be attached to? It's not. But the root of the problem is not so much government doing what they think they have to do. Instead, let's remember it's people who seek to do harm, who lack restraint, who play around hacking things they know they shouldn't, and choose precious human lives to inflict their terror on. It really goes back to sin. . . I thought about starting this comment as "We are human beings, and our problem is sin." But I digress, don't I?