Bush Administration proposes surveillance of the Internet

[ck4829]

The Bush administration has accelerated its Internet surveillance push by proposing that Web sites must keep records of who uploads photographs or videos in case police determine the content is illegal and choose to investigate, CNET News.com has learned.

That proposal surfaced Wednesday in a private meeting during which U.S. Department of Justice officials, including Assistant Attorney General Rachel Brand, tried to convince industry representatives such as AOL and Comcast that data retention would be valuable in investigating terrorism, child pornography and other crimes. The discussions were described to News.com by several people who attended the meeting.

A second purpose of the meeting in Washington, D.C., according to the sources, was to ask Internet service providers how much it would cost to record details on their subscribers for two years. At the very least, the companies would be required to keep logs for police of which customer is assigned a specific Internet address.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has been lobbying Congress for mandatory data retention, calling it a "national problem that requires federal legislation." Gonzales has convened earlier private meetings to pressure industry representatives. And last month, Republicans introduced a mandatory data retention bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would let the attorney general dictate what must be stored and for how long.

http://www.zdnetindia.com/news/communication/stories/172718.html

[Rex]

1. So they want to shift ALL of the responsibility of national security onto

website owners? I will say here and now that idea will not only crash and burn, but there will be massive blowback. Callin it now.

[whistle]

2. National internet registration before gun purchases registration, wow!

[Rex]

4. Internet is far more dangrous than a mere gun.

They must have TIA up and running smoothly by now. :(

[no_hypocrisy]

3. They'll only get that law on the books with this Congress only if

they try to sneak it into a budget bill or something else where it won't be noticed. However, I'm sure Speaker Pelosi has selected a member who is in charge of reading each word of any proposed bill from hereonin.

On edit - WTF was I thinking?!! They're gonna do it anyway!!!

[INdemo]

9. Yep its coming..just like the national ID thats coming in 2008 that was

hidden in a budget bill...

[porphyrian]

5. I'm sure they do. - n/t

[Jack Rabbit]

6. I propose surveillance of the Bush regime

It's called parole.

[Mandate My Ass]

7. they're already doing it (n/t)

Hi, Agent Mike. :hi:

[DainBramaged]

8. Sure, spend BILLIONS watching us and neglect the wounded hero's

That is logical.