It feels like just a few weeks ago that the Internet rallied together against the SOPA and PIPA bills that were being debated in Congress. Those bills pale in comparison to the new bill that is making its way through the rounds, H.R. 3523 or CISPA (Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act). The new bill has failed to gain mainstream attention, but I don’t see that lasting very much longer.
What makes CISPA so much worse than SOPA and PIPA? Well, for starters, the vagueness of the bill is the scary part. The words in the bill are so very broad that it could make a 78-year-old grandma that isn’t even a user of the Internet shiver with fear.
The bill would encourage private companies to monitor cyber threat information that goes across their networks and then share that information with the government. The requirements for the government to request the information are very broad and that is the main issue with the bill.
The opening line of the bill, which can be read here, displays the vagueness and broad reach:
“To provide for the sharing of certain cyber threat intelligence and cyber threat information between the intelligence community and cybersecurity entities, and for other purposes.”
The “and for other purposes” really raises concerns. What are the other purposes?
This bill could mean that everything you type into your web browser would be monitored and sent off to the government. We are not against going after cyber threats, but the scope of this bill is so broad that it oversteps the freedom of the innocent.
What will the consequences of this bill? Companies acting as “big brother” may over monitor our online activity, making criminals out of all of us. What effect would this bill have on the Internet experience? Leave your comments below.
I am totally against this bill or any other bill they may dream up. It will kill the net as we know it…
I see a time that every person needs to use strong encryption for every online communication, and every web site should be HTTPS with strong encryption.
A better solution is fire all of congress at one time and limit their terms to 1 and no moving from one branch to another. A senator can never be a representative or president. Same for representatives. Go to Washington server one term, come home get a job. be productive.
The reason we have this problem is people have forsaken the God of our fathers. We have experienced the blessing of Deut. 28: 1-14, now be will experience the curse of Deut. 28:15 CF.
Ever seen the movie 1984…
This is going on my facebook page totally! Damn you government and politics we gonna kick your ass.
For the love of God, stop this bs.SOPA,PIPA,ACTA n now this??!!
Can anyone say 1984, by George Orwell?
The net grew on private communications.. it’s surely not private anymore. All kinds of crypto warfar will begin. Lots of cpu hungry apps will be needed in the future. Some companies dont mind at all.
This is the result of people spending more time watching ‘stupid’ television than getting involved in what’s going on in the world. As a result we have our ‘leaders’ passing stuff through without our knowledge until its already a law. People need to wake up from their comfortable lives thinking that the governemnt is looking out for us. Governement is NOT looking out for us and we are heading for a socialist society. It’s the haves against the have nots.
This is a horrible law.
But you are doing the cause a disservice by pointing out the “and for other purposes”. That’s simply legal boilerplate; every bill has that phrase attached.
Even H.R. 2697, the Affordable Footwear Act of 2011, and HR 3638, the Act for the 99%, have that phrase.