“Fourth Amendment? Never heard of it.”
(AP photo)
Another fine idea from your friendly neighborhood all-present federal government:
THE FBI HAS been lobbying top internet companies like Yahoo and Google to support a proposal that would force them to provide backdoors for government surveillance, according to CNET.
The Bureau has been quietly meeting with representatives of these companies, as well as Microsoft (which owns Hotmail and Skype), Facebook and others to argue for a legislative proposal, drafted by the FBI, that would require social-networking sites and VoIP, instant messaging and e-mail providers to alter their code to make their products wiretap-friendly.
The FBI has previously complained to Congress about the so-called “Going Dark” problem – the difficulty of doing effective wiretap surveillance as more communications have moved from traditional telephone services to internet service companies.
This is akin to arguing that because some people rob houses, the FBI should have the power to enter your house — at will, and without a warrant. Or that because some people rob banks, the FBI should have the power to examine your accounts — at will, and without a warrant. Or… well, I’m sure you get the idea.
Police states are always sold as being for the benefit of the people, but it never seems to work out that way.
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