Privacy Advocates Protest FBI Warning of 'Going Dark' In Online Era

CWmike writes "CNET's Declan McCullagh reported last week on the FBI's argument that the massive shift of communications from the telephone system to the Internet 'has made it far more difficult for the agency to wiretap Americans suspected of illegal activities.' The law has already been expanded once, in 2004, to include broadband networks, but still excludes Web companies. The FBI says its surveillance efforts are in danger of 'going dark' if it is not allowed to monitor the way people communicate now. Not surprisingly, a range of opponents, from privacy advocates to legal experts, disagree — strongly. On key tech hitch with the plan, per ACLU attorney Mark Rumold and others: There is a difference between wiretapping phones and demanding a backdoor to Internet services. 'A backdoor doesn't just make it accessible to the FBI — it makes it vulnerable to others,' Rumold says."

Backdoor for others

[shoehornjob]

'A backdoor doesn't just make it accessible to the FBI â" it makes it vulnerable to others.

Speaking of backdoors I've got these cool new Sony disks for your computer......

Oh for the Cold War

[AnaxagorasZ]

I miss the days back when the only reason that our righteous free country would spy on our citizens or suspend our rights was to try to catch people working for evil governments who did things like spy on their own citizens and violate their rights. Back when it was easy to tell who were the good guys and who were the bad guys.

Re:Piss off, FBI

[Dunbal]

If Slashdot is truly taking a stand

Slashdot does not speak for me. I certainly do not want to be "represented" by a collection of nerds and trolls in any point of view - I am perfectly capable of taking my own stand where I choose.