Scary: Bill Grants President Control of Internet
Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: Cybersecurity, Act, President, Internet, Control | Themes: The Internet, Digital Entertainment, Business
Now here's a scary thought: the President of the United States taking control of the Internet. Yet that's the "emergency" power a Senate bill plans to provide if passed, offering the President a "kill switch" by seizing private networks and shutting down online traffic during a cybersecurity emergency. A revision to the bill appeared today, months after the bill was first drafted by Senator Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, and then slammed for "dangerous government intrusion."
The new revision of the Cybersecurity Act of 2009, according to Fox News, is supposedly improved over the original draft. Yet the "troubling language" found in the original bill has now been replaced by "vague language" that may still provide the same super powers to the President. "The current language is so unclear that we can't be confident that the changes have actually been made," said Larry Clinton, president of the Internet Security Alliance, a organization that represents the telecommunications industry.
CNET has a thorough article in regards to the new draft, reporting that the bill will permit the president to "direct the national response to the cyber threat," and the White house will be able to engage in "periodic mapping" of private networks deemed to be critical. "If your company is deemed "critical," a new set of regulations kick in involving who you can hire, what information you must disclose, and when the government would exercise control over your computers or network," CNET reports.
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Earlier it was the Border Patrol and now this? This Friday sucks!
Big Brother is watching
You've gotta be kidding.... this shouldn't pass.... before long the president will have control of everything.....
what's with these sensationalist headlines tom's hardware? I agree that the bill shouldn't pass, but the headline doesn't match reality.
F!@# them. I wonder what the 1337 hackers/crackers will do about this; I'm sure most of them are pissed off.
At any rate, WHAT company are considered "critical"? Northrop, NASA, DoD, Mocrosoft, Google????
This "CyperSecurity" is just a mess.
I don't trust Obama. I think he would sign it if passed. The question is, what would they deem a "cyber threat"?
More government intrusion, more government control of private sectors, socialized medicine, and now, if this bill is passed, they will have the right to intrude on our networks.. This isnt the "change" I wanted.
Does everyone have brain damage? This bill was presented and reported on April 1st already.
i guess i see the use in this, like if terrorist get the know how to use our internet agents us, or to prevent skynet. its not like it will happen every day, or year, or 5 years, or ever! but its not like he can control LANs not connected to the main "internet". which is why we need starcraft with lan!
Oh you mean the bill that was for just financial and government owned networks? Unless that changed which I highly doubt. So sure the wording is vague, but no where do I see the internet to be affected.
Sigh.... Really, why is this even on a site like this to begin with. Should be on a site ran by right wingers with all the word twisting this article did.
LOL you think you can control the internet.
Maybe in North America but if that happens I'll move somewhere else
Does everyone have brain damage? This bill was presented and reported on April 1st already.
Yea Tom's hardware is very late at news
I don't trust Obama.
Sad when right wingers that are trying to hide their racism are posting on a Tom's site. How do I know you are right winger? You can't think for yourself or look up something called "facts." I know using your brain is hard, but you should try it.
Yea Tom's hardware is very late at news
They reported it. I guess they forgot about it; but they're not the only ones.
The only thing new is the bill has been supposedly revised but contains the same problems.
I can see it now, "New DANGEROUS virus out, we will now be shutting down the internet."
Sad when right wingers that are trying to hide their racism are posting on a Tom's site. How do I know you are right winger? You can't think for yourself or look up something called "facts." I know using your brain is hard, but you should try it.
Sad when the people fall into a false left right paradigm and then call any rational objections towards a policy an act of racism; effectively side stepping a real issue and inserting a false one, causing division and turmoil instead of paying attention.
Read the bill yourself. I read it almost 5 months ago and this was in the bill, I believe it was on page 53 or 54.
Yeah I voted for Obama too (as did the majority of the voting public) but I am not going buy into his sh** because he is a Democrat. The man has shown that he is a liar and can not be trusted.
If you are pro Obama, just envision this power in the hands of a president you don't trust -- FUTURE presidents will have this power, too -- I'm sure there will be at least one during your lifetime that you won't want to have this power! Look ahead!
And you thought you only had to worry about this Crap under Bush.
I can already see it:
GREEN ALERT: Safe to go on the internet
YELLOW ALERT: Few hours of internet
RED ALERT: Duck and cover!
Sigh....
Mr. President should protect the nuclear powerplants first: http://www.forbes.com/2007/08/22/s [...] 2hack.html
LOL you think you can control the internet.Maybe in North America but if that happens I'll move somewhere else
Cerrection. Just in the USA. He can't do it in Canada!
they will not shut down the internet it would stop the world economy
Sad when right wingers that are trying to hide their racism are posting on a Tom's site. How do I know you are right winger? You can't think for yourself or look up something called "facts." I know using your brain is hard, but you should try it.
Damn it, I am tired of people calling someone else who has ANY problem with the current president racist. Push past your own problems and open your eyes and peer at what the hell is going on here over the past several months. While you are at it, dig up these "facts" that seem to be lies to you. Even though you can find them in print should you choose to do so, you can continue to call them lies all you want for all I care. The size of government is entirely out of control and no one can stop it right now because of the monopoly the people voted for. We need a balance of power in the government, when it is tipped entirely one way in a filibuster-proof state, this is the kind of stuff we get! Enjoy it America, for at least the next year and a half when it will most likely shift back to neutral.
what's with these sensationalist headlines tom's hardware? I agree that the bill shouldn't pass, but the headline doesn't match reality.
I agree. I only read it to laugh at the stupid comments made. Probably the same people who believe in "death panels."
Yea Tom's hardware is very late at news
Thing is though, this was on this very same site that day.
im sure that bill only refers to a situation where cyber terrorism is taking place like a firesale etc. Its deathpanels all over again!!!
Welcome to New World Order.
Very funny indeed for a country so technology illiterate they can not even figure out how to get the CIA and FBI databases to communicate.
Please do not worry in the least.
Now U.S.A is second to god for sure cause they control the net
they will not shut down the internet it would stop the world economy
The owner of the US already did without the need to shutting down the Internet.
I won't formulate an opinion based on a three paragraph story, and I know that like 99% of you, I will not read the bill....but man this is scary only because we all know it will not be implement properly and it will be a disaster for some time. Surely we all remember the terrorist threat alerts? What a farce...
I agree. I only read it to laugh at the stupid comments made. Probably the same people who believe in "death panels."
You're right, it's a board of appointed officials that vote on what and who the budget allocates money towards.