Federal internet wiretap authority may be set for expansion, according to a report released today. The report state that the Obama administration is devising plans to have all internet-based communication technologies – such as Skype, Facebook and Blackberry e-mailing – compliant with federal wiretap orders.
The broadened wiretap authority comes as national security agencies tell that their ability to listen into terrorism suspects is increasingly limited by the use of internet-based communication services, rather than the traditional telephone.
The White House plans to introduce the bill to Congress next year, which would require all internet-based communication services be technically compatible with interceptors and decrypting devices, however the bill raises serious issues of privacy.
While detractors of the bill claim that it will have huge implications on privacy and internet usage, FBI general counsel Valerie Caproni stated that the issue shouldn’t be viewed in light of increasing authority, rather “[it’s] about preserving our ability to execute our existing authority in order to protect the public safety and national security.”
Encrypted email services, such as those offered by Blackberry have already come into trouble overseas for security reasons. Countries such as India and the United Arab Emirates have considered banning Blackberries as they say they pose a national security threat.
Blackberry makers, Research in Motion have repeatedly said they are more than willing to cooperate, but will not compromise the security architecture of the Blackberry devices. RIM CEO Jim Balsillie said RIM, “simply has no ability to read the encrypted information and that it has no master key or back door key to allow access."
