The FBI has drafted sweeping legislation that would require Internet service providers to create wiretapping hubs for police surveillance and force makers of networking gear to build in backdoors for eavesdropping, CNET News.com has learned.

Source

This is yet more reason to begin using encryption. They not only want to make it legal to pry through all of our communications on the Internet, they also want to force companies to place back doors into our routers and other networking gear.

How do you feel about the FBI nosing around on your home network? But wait, there’s more.

• Require any manufacturer of “routing” and “addressing” hardware to offer upgrades or other “modifications” that are needed to support Internet wiretapping. Current law does require that of telephone switch manufacturers–but not makers of routers and network address translation hardware like Cisco Systems and 2Wire.

• Authorize the expansion of wiretapping requirements to “commercial” Internet services including instant messaging if the FCC deems it to be in the “public interest.” That would likely sweep in services such as in-game chats offered by Microsoft’s Xbox 360 gaming system as well.

These are only a few quotes. You really should read the article, and get encryption for your emails and get instant messenger software that supports encryption. You should also get software that allows you to encrypt information on your computer.

You DO have something to hide; it’s called your personal life!

~Steph