IF YOU LOVE THE PATRIOT ACT, WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THIS!

Forums: Internet, Cyber-Attack, American-Politics, U S-Politics, Us-Politics
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http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/04/should-obama-control-internet

I appreciate that the threat of a cyber-attack is real, and having the ability to shut down the internet in the event of such an attack is necessary, but I would feel better if the terms of this act were more clearly defined.

I'm not going to swing both ways though and condemn this as an obvious attack on our privacy and a naked grab at power beyond what the constitution allows.

It's not difficult to paint a scenario where the president shuts down the internet to control the free exchange of information and create barriers to protest or even uprise, but any president with dreams of being our first dictator, will not be stymied if this legislation isn't in effect.

I also have enough faith in my fellow Americans that we will quickly catch on, and not sit idly by, if and when such a president attempts to abuse the power afforded by this act.

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Type: Discussion • Score: 3 • Views: 1,448 • Replies: 9

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We had the free exchange of ideas, protests and uprisings long before the internet so I'm not too worried about that.

But like you, I'd like to know more about this before I even begin to think it's a good idea.

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@Finn dAbuzz,

I agree with you Finn.

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@Finn dAbuzz,

Quote:

The bill does not only add to the power of the president. It also grants the Secretary of Commerce "access to all relevant data concerning [critical] networks without regard to any provision of law, regulation, rule, or policy restricting such access." This means he or she can monitor or access any data on private or public networks without regard to privacy laws.

Bzzt! Error!

DO NOT WANT

Cycloptichorn

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@Finn dAbuzz,

The discussion started already some weeks ago - see this CNET report.

The part of this bill that is quite exciting is the idea that the new Cyber Security Advisor would have an enforcement mechanism. He/she could disconnect a network that was deemed not secure.

That would be some ... action.

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This title just makes one more character in future movie thrillers, I believe. The Cyber Security Adviser can then give input to whoever is in the role of 007.

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i reckon these guys have been able to pull it down for a long time.

http://www.afcyber.af.mil/

it is what it is.

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@DontTreadOnMe,

Can we assume then that you have the same stoic's regard for the Patriot Act?

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@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

Can we assume then that you have the same stoic's regard for the Patriot Act?

the difference between technology and policy is that while the second can be changed or retracted, it's nearly impossible to put the genie of tech back in the bottle.

i'm just trying to look at things in a realistic light these days, finn.

and what i find in all of the related things going on re: "privacy" is that not only do we have a lot less of it in concrete terms, what i get from younger people is that they do not see it in the same way that older americans do. facebook, myspace and the truly annoying twitter ( "oh, and we just got a tweet". makes me barf, i tell ya) along with the recording and video capabilities of the newer cell fons have changed an awful lot about the definition of privacy.

the air force has been using the cyber thing in recruiting commercials for years. no big news.

it wouldn't surprise me if the cyber command (along with the usafsc) absorbed this agency;

http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/images/total-information-awareness.bmp

IF YOU LOVE THE PATRIOT ACT, WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THIS!

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