vacuum
27th March 2013, 12:46 AM
Looks like another power grab:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/03/26/andrew_weissmann_fbi_wants_real_time_gmail_dropbox _spying_power.html (http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/03/26/andrew_weissmann_fbi_wants_real_time_gmail_dropbox _spying_power.html)
Despite the pervasiveness of law enforcement surveillance of digital communication, the FBI still has a difficult time monitoring Gmail, Google Voice, and Dropbox in real time. But that may change soon, because the bureau says it has made gaining more powers to wiretap all forms of Internet conversation and cloud storage a “top priority” this year.
The FBI has decided that /communications-assistance-law-enforcement-act (http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/communications-assistance-law-enforcement-act) Does not grant them enough powers to snoop on Internet activity, and wants to be able to snoop on gmail, gchat, skype and the like in real time, as opposed to reading a archived version. The FBI and the intelligence community is pushing for new laws granting further power to monitor Internet activity, Including real time snooping on everything from gmail and skype to your chat on bnet.
According to Weissmann, the bureau is working with “members of intelligence community” to craft a proposal for new Internet spy powers as “a top priority this year.” Citing security concerns, he declined to reveal any specifics. “It's a very hard thing to talk about publicly,” he said, though acknowledged that “it's something that there should be a public debate about.”
So does the FBI have enough power to monitor Internet activity already, or do the wiretap laws need to be expanded so that they can monitor email and game chat in real time?
The fbi does not currently have this ability, as stated in the article
Because Gmail is sent between a user’s computer and Google’s servers using SSL encryption, for instance, the FBI can’t intercept it as it is flowing across networks and relies on the company to provide it with access.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/03/26/andrew_weissmann_fbi_wants_real_time_gmail_dropbox _spying_power.html (http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/03/26/andrew_weissmann_fbi_wants_real_time_gmail_dropbox _spying_power.html)
Despite the pervasiveness of law enforcement surveillance of digital communication, the FBI still has a difficult time monitoring Gmail, Google Voice, and Dropbox in real time. But that may change soon, because the bureau says it has made gaining more powers to wiretap all forms of Internet conversation and cloud storage a “top priority” this year.
The FBI has decided that /communications-assistance-law-enforcement-act (http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/communications-assistance-law-enforcement-act) Does not grant them enough powers to snoop on Internet activity, and wants to be able to snoop on gmail, gchat, skype and the like in real time, as opposed to reading a archived version. The FBI and the intelligence community is pushing for new laws granting further power to monitor Internet activity, Including real time snooping on everything from gmail and skype to your chat on bnet.
According to Weissmann, the bureau is working with “members of intelligence community” to craft a proposal for new Internet spy powers as “a top priority this year.” Citing security concerns, he declined to reveal any specifics. “It's a very hard thing to talk about publicly,” he said, though acknowledged that “it's something that there should be a public debate about.”
So does the FBI have enough power to monitor Internet activity already, or do the wiretap laws need to be expanded so that they can monitor email and game chat in real time?
The fbi does not currently have this ability, as stated in the article
Because Gmail is sent between a user’s computer and Google’s servers using SSL encryption, for instance, the FBI can’t intercept it as it is flowing across networks and relies on the company to provide it with access.