Bill Allows Obama Power to Shut Down Internet

[Niels Bohr 72]

The President of the United States is said by some to be the most powerful man in the world -- but should he have control of the spread of information.

A legislation proposed on April 1 is no joke. The proposed bill would grant President Obama the authority to shut down public and private networks -- including the restriction of internet traffic -- as part of a cybersecurity emergency plan.

The bill was introduced by West Virginia Democratic Sen. John Rockefeller and Sen. Olympia Snowe, a Republican from Maine. The aim of the bill is to unite both public and private network operators to develop regulations for what to do in case of a cyber attack.

For obvious reasons, many are concerned about what such power could mean if the wrong actions were taken. Leslie Harris, president and CEO at the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), said in a NetworkWorld story, “This is pretty sweeping legislation. Seems the President could turn off the Internet completely or tell someone like Verizon to limit or block certain traffic. There is a lot to worry about in this bill.”

While the public sector may be used to more government regulation and involvement, such control will undoubtedly bother corporations. CDT’s Harris added that regulatory rules could force companies to all conform to a similar system, which could hamper security and innovation. For example, if a critical security flaw was found in a mandated system, then the entire network could be susceptible to such a flaw.

Corporations, particularly internet-centric companies, are keeping close watch on how this will pan out.

“We are currently studying this legislation,” said Dan Martin, a spokesman for Google. “Security has been a priority at Google from the beginning of the company – we recognize that secure products are instrumental in maintaining the trust our users place in us.”

The politicians behind the bill do clarify that this is just the first proposal and that there is still room for much revision and evolution.


“This legislation is the beginning of the process - the objective of this cybersecurity bill is to start the debate and chairman Rockefeller welcomes comments from all parties, he is sitting down with stakeholders already and he welcomes input from all those supportive of the legislation and those with concerns,” said Jena Longo, deputy communications director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation.

Check out the bill here (PDF), hosted by NetworkWorld.

[dalegg 143]

Don't over react. He will only use it when the fairness doctrine drives Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity from the radio to the internet.

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

sounds like something this guy would have wanted, if the internet was around 70 years ago.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Target, Isolate and Combat

The legislation would establish a public-private partnership to coordinate Internet security efforts. The bill also seeks to significantly raise the security profile by educating the public about the risks and countermeasures.

Also included are proposals to streamline government readiness and to have the National Institute of Standards and Technology establish measurable standards applicable to both the government and the private sector. "This legislation will ensure we have many tools to target, isolate and effectively combat cyber attacks in America," Rockefeller said.

Under the new bill, a national cyber security adviser reporting to the president would coordinate the efforts of the U.S. intelligence community and civilian agencies on all cyber security matters. The adviser would have the authority to disconnect from the Internet any infrastructure network found to be at risk.

"It is abundantly clear we must unite on all fronts to confront this monumental challenge. If we fail to take swift action, we, regrettably, risk a cyber Katrina," Snowe said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nf/20090402/bs_nf/65735

...

So basically, Charles - you're comparing these two Senators, one of them a Republican as being Hitler like?

Edited April 7, 2009 by Mister Fancypants

[eros_EX_Plumber 0]

No way...if INTERNET is shutdown...we will not be able to post ####### like this...

What a shame !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

People are right to be suspicious of something like that.

That said, we've already permitted numerous emergency powers as part of the Federal response to the War on Terror, this is the natural progression of what we already have in the Patriot Act.

There is some context for precedent - it didn't get much airplay on the news here, but in 2007 the internet infrastructure for the country of Estonia was effectively paralysed by a coordinated attack by Cyber terrorists (allegedly working on behalf of the Russian government).

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

Target, Isolate and Combat

The legislation would establish a public-private partnership to coordinate Internet security efforts. The bill also seeks to significantly raise the security profile by educating the public about the risks and countermeasures.

Also included are proposals to streamline government readiness and to have the National Institute of Standards and Technology establish measurable standards applicable to both the government and the private sector. "This legislation will ensure we have many tools to target, isolate and effectively combat cyber attacks in America," Rockefeller said.

Under the new bill, a national cyber security adviser reporting to the president would coordinate the efforts of the U.S. intelligence community and civilian agencies on all cyber security matters. The adviser would have the authority to disconnect from the Internet any infrastructure network found to be at risk.

"It is abundantly clear we must unite on all fronts to confront this monumental challenge. If we fail to take swift action, we, regrettably, risk a cyber Katrina," Snowe said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nf/20090402/bs_nf/65735

...

So basically, Charles - you're comparing these two Senators, one of them a Republican as being Hitler like?

if that's what you want to take from my post, feel free.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

sounds like something this guy would have wanted, if the internet was around 70 years ago.

Heil Obama!

[sj5 4]

They can shut down the internet if they want to, good for my cyber addiction.

[-B&T- 1]

[DeadPoolX 9]

There's no way this would happen. Our entire way of life now depends on Internet capability. If the Internet was shut down (even on a temporary basis), this country -- and others -- would grind to halt. Even scarier is the fact that the Internet could be shut down in all areas except the government.

Shutting down the Internet would make Obama the most hated president (and individual) in the U.S., if not the entire world.

[NickD 203]

There's no way this would happen. Our entire way of life now depends on Internet capability. If the Internet was shut down (even on a temporary basis), this country -- and others -- would grind to halt. Even scarier is the fact that the Internet could be shut down in all areas except the government.

Shutting down the Internet would make Obama the most hated president (and individual) in the U.S., if not the entire world.

I don't like the odds, we can only elect one president, he/she selects the justices of the supreme court, all those secretaries and the heads of those 1525 agencies. We can also elect 100 senators and 435 congressman.

Who else can we elect? No one as far as I know.

That adds up to 536 people, but if you just consider only a 2/3rds majority is required, cuts that number down to 358, that is roughly one leader per one million people or one person telling one million people what they can and cannot do.

This means if some powerful organization or even a foreign power need only put in 358 people to lead the most powerful nation in the world and can do that with a well thought plan of bullsh!t.

I do not like those odds. Even less than that when you consider the power we have given to the president, look what Bush can do by breaking over 700 laws of the US Constitution and get away with it, all in the view of national security.

This country is going to hell and we are letting it happen.

I do not like Obama's position on protecting the bankers that caused our economic problems and jobs in the view that they are needed to restart our economy when they should be put into jail. Way too much power for anyone guy to have. He does let you tell him your concerns with the internet, but sure those concerns are going into cyberspace.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Yeah, and algore invented it.

[Rhiannercakes 14]

Egh.

I'd probably go insane if the internet died.

It's the only contact I have with alot of friends.

:/

[Chica Yeyé 41]