Posted on 12/21/2011 10:47:35 AM PST by PieterCasparzen
Members of the House Homeland Security Committee unveiled legislation Thursday that would authorize the cybersecurity functions of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and establish a quasi-governmental entity to coordinate cybersecurity information-sharing with the private sector. The bill, called the Promoting and Enhancing Cybersecurity and Information Sharing Effectiveness Act (PrECISE), would station a national clearinghouse for information relating to potential attacks on critical infrastructure, such as electric grid, water facilities, and financial service systems.
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Many civil liberties groups have expressed concern over cybersecurity legislation such as the PrECISE Act, as these policies could lead to severe privacy rights’ violations.
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For example, under the bill, if a company shares information on a user’s Internet activities that it acquired to preclude the user’s account from being hacked, the government would have the ability to use that information for its own purposes, including for criminal prosecutions independent of cybersecurity. "This legislation allows for the information to be shared without a court order or other protections," explained Nojeim, referring to a previous version of the PrECISE Act.
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Indeed, while NISO would be comprised mostly of private-sector members, companies could have limited authority in the promulgation of rules, and in turn, Nojeim reflected, federal officials could exert considerable influence over NISO’s functions.
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"Approaches to cybersecurity that would eliminate pseudonymous and anonymous speech online would put privacy at risk, chill free expression and erode the Internet’s essential openness," Nojeim asserted in a May 2009 congressional testimony. "As the founders of our country recognized, anonymity and pseudonymity play essential roles in allowing political views to be aired."
(Excerpt) Read more at thenewamerican.com ...
Anyone hear about this ?
Sounds like yet another foray into big brotherland.
” and establish a quasi-governmental entity “
Ya mean like the Post Office?? Amtrak?? Fannie and Freddie?? The FED??
Gee - what could possibly go wrong??
Gee - what could possibly go wrong??
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Especially with muslims and SEIU people running it ...
While I am against this, you’d have to be crazy not to realize that the govt. can track every single thing you do on the net over any ISP account that be tracked back to you. “Privacy” for the most part is a thing of the past. I think what the govt. is going for here is the ability to shut down real time social networks in times of social unrest. Makes it much easier for the govt. to hinder mass demonstrations by the wrong people. Thus, shut down the right’s ability to counter-prostest the OWS movement or anything else.
This would also empower the govt. to shut down economic activity over the net for any and everybody the govt. chooses.
“Many civil liberties groups have expressed concern over cybersecurity legislation such as the PrECISE Act, as these policies could lead to severe privacy rights’ violations.”
Ya think?
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