[NEWS] FBI To Require ISPs To Reconfigure E-mail Systems (fwd)

[Gil Hamilton]

Bill Stewarts forwarded:

>HEADLINE: PRIVACY: FBI To Require ISPs To Reconfigure E-mail Systems

>Such a stance could result in considerable cost to many ISPs, and it
>would constitute a reversal of previous government policy, which held
>that ISPs are not subject to CALEA's requirements. But Baker also said
>"it has been a long-term goal of the FBI and is not just a reaction to
>Sept. 11."

Nobody doubts that!
Sept. 11 merely provided the opportunity for the slimy power-hungry
control freaks to take advantage of the unprincipled and weak-willed.
No surprises here; Sept. 11 has been a wet dream for the Fibbies.


>"Under the cover of people's outrage [over the terrorist attacks] and
>desire for revenge, lots of things that have been defeated before have
>been brought back in [to the anti-terrorism legislation] without a
>demonstration that the lack of appropriate law is a problem," Kapor
>said in an interview. But on the whole, Kapor and Baker shared more
>common ground on the acceptability of new electronic surveillance than
>they had in the past, with both expressing the view that now is a time
>for calm reconsideration of positions rather than butting horns over
>the details of how civil liberties would be curtailed by an
>anti-terrorism bill.

In other words: "Baby, this won't hurt that much if you'll just lay
back and quit fighting it."  So it turns out that Kapor's just another
fucking toady, ready to suck his thumb and let Big Brother take care
of him.


>"I find myself more in the middle than I used to because my identity
>in life is not as a civil liberties advocate," Kapor said. "Part is
>being an American and a world citizen."

I'm really sick of hearing all these digerati -- that used to [claim
to] support civil liberties -- now ready to bend over and spread 'em
for the Feds.  This simply goes to show that they Never Had Any
Fucking Principles To Begin With.  They were just playing the part,
trying to look cool and hang out with the other trendy celebrities
espousing trendy liberal positions.

If one actually had principles, one would have thought about the
possibility of a large scale terrorist attack long before it
happened, and have allowed for it in their world view and their
political philosophy.


>"What has changed [since Sept. 11] is the view of the technology
>community," Baker said. "I used to get calls like, 'How can I beat the
>NSA?'" said Baker. "Now, people call and say, 'I have this great idea
>that would help NSA,' or, 'I want to go volunteer and do outreach on
>behalf of the FBI or NSA.' There is a real change of people's view
>about who the bad guys are."

At least you know where Baker stands.  And it ain't on the side of
liberty!  (I *would* like to know why an ISP would hire Baker to
represent them when FBI is asking them to conduct electronic
surveillance; that seems a bit like asking the fox to help guard the
henhouse.)

- GH



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