In an obscure policy decision published last Friday, the FCC decided that the FBI would have veto power over what software Americans can run on their computers.
The Federal Communications Commission thinks you have the right to use software on your computer only if the FBI approves.
No, really. In an obscure “policy” document (PDF) released around 9 p.m. ET last Friday, the FCC announced this remarkable decision.
According to the three-page document, to preserve the openness that characterizes today’s Internet, “consumers are entitled to run applications and use services of their choice, subject to the needs of law enforcement.” Read the last seven words again. — VoIP Blog
This is truly dangerous territory we’re getting into here. This sort of ruling could, for instance, cripple open source software, which isn’t likely to contain the sort of accommodations that American law enforcement agencies will ask for.
In particular, the FCC wants VoIP computer software to contain backdoors so that the FBI or other agencies can listen in to your phone calls whenever they want. That’s today. Who’s to say what they will ask for tomorrow?
Declan McCullagh continues: “But where federal law states that it is the policy of the United States to preserve a free market for Internet services ‘unfettered by federal or state regulation,’ the bureaucrats have adroitly interpreted that to mean precisely the opposite of [what] Congress said. Ain’t that clever?”
That’s what federal bureaucrats do: grab power. It’s about time we got the FCC out of the Internet.
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Karl Marx would love the popular moves among politicians in various state governments and the federal government to ban so-called "junk" food in schools, and to "put healthy food in" convenience stores and on the tables of those they define as poor. It's a very elitist and arrogant mindset that promotes this ideology, and it needs to be addressed.
Ultimately, the war supporters in Congress prevailed in the vote on the resolution. Still, the vote was significant because it places every member of Congress on the record as supporting or not supporting the unconstitutional, costly, violent occupation of a country that never attacked us. This vote should serve as an important reminder to the American people of where their representatives really stand when it comes to policing the world, empire building, and war.
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Sep 30, 2005
thaJack dot com
Jim Duffield
Dec 07, 2005
“consumers are entitled to run applications and use services of their choice, subject to the needs of law enforcement.�
As a non-resident or citizen of the US of A, I find this set of conclusions drawn from the FBI of the USA not a smidge arrogant.
The FBI “might” have some input to the control of citizens of the US, but outside of that piece of North America, they mean nothing, and their rules even less.
Thus, how can ‘cripple open source software, which isn’t likely to contain the sort of accommodations that American law enforcement agencies will ask for.’ (should read ‘for which American [USA!] law enforcement agencies will ask.’) but be that as it may, it will not impact an entire world devoid of USA laws, but governed by its own Soverign State laws.
I am reminded of words by Ivan Illich:
“The compulsion to do good is an innate American trait. Only North Americans seem to believe that they always should, may, and actually can choose somebody with whom to share their blessings. Ultimately this attitude leads to bombing people into the acceptance of gifts.”
syndadajin
Mar 12, 2006
Well the goverment can kiss my … there not going to be telling me to run windows on my computer and when the do consider this…. I’m moving to a real managed country as i’m in the air i’ll be giving old usa the middle finger salute as i leave….
James Seidel
Mar 31, 2007
Lately I have noticed that President Chenny has not shot
any other Judges, and that the village idiot and that
skinny black street walker have not started the attack
on Iran, but this idea of the FBI morons listening to my
Vonage is a big no no.
I am already making plans to go to a FREE country, but
where can I go that the WORLD BANK has not already
made the people slaves?
Australia was fun in the early 80’s, so was West Germany,
and now it seems that Ukraine and Romania are starting
to look more like America did before Regean and his short
nightmare wife [ who ran the country for years into the ground ] were in office.
This country of freedom and liberty is over, 1984 was here
and still is, wake up people.
Its 2007 and water and poop can run uphill.