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Nov. 13 — A last-minute addition to a proposal for a Department of Homeland Security bill would punish malicious computer hackers with life in prison. The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday evening voted 299 to 121 to approve the bill, which would reshape large portions of the federal bureaucracy into a new department combining parts of 22 existing federal agencies, including the Secret Service, the Coast Guard, and the FBI’s National Infrastructure Protection Center.

In July, the full House approved CSEA by a 385-to-3 vote, but it died in the Senate.

Mr Bean wrote:

In July, the full House approved CSEA by a 385-to-3 vote, but it died in the Senate.

It died thanks to Dashal yet one more strike aginst him


Food for thought

Not saying that I wouldn't also like to string up some of these clowns myself, but I also what can of worms this bill could lead to...

AdmiralKanos wrote:I would be wary of approving a bill whose wording we haven't seen. A lot of times, bills like that are advertised as promoting something which sounds good, but they quietly "piggy-back" a whole lot of really objectionable shit onto it. A lot of these things are actually legislative Trojan horses.

Promise life terms for computer intrusions that “recklessly” put others’ lives at risk. A committee report accompanying the legislation predicts: “A terrorist or criminal cyberattack could further harm our economy and critical infrastructure. It is imperative that the penalties and law enforcement capabilities are adequate to prevent and deter such attacks.”

Permit limited surveillance without a court order when there is an “ongoing attack” on an Internet-connected computer or “an immediate threat to a national security interest.” That kind of surveillance would, however, be limited to obtaining a suspect’s telephone number, IP address, URLs or e-mail header information—not the contents of online communications or telephone calls. Under federal law, such taps can take place when there’s a threat of “serious bodily injury to any person” or activity involving organized crime.

Change current law, which says it’s illegal for an Internet provider to “knowingly divulge” what users do except in some specific circumstances, such as when it’s troubleshooting glitches, receiving a court order or tipping off police that a crime is in progress. CSEA expands that list to include when “an emergency involving danger of death or serious physical injury to any person requires disclosure of the information without delay.”

Specify that an existing ban on the “advertisement” of any device that is used primarily for surreptitious electronic surveillance applies to online ads. The prohibition now covers only a “newspaper, magazine, handbill or other publication.”

Raxmei wrote:The hacking part was a "last-minute addition". What else was on the bill?

Darth Wong wrote:Big Brother is watching you.

Big Brother is watching you.

Mr Bean wrote:

Big Brother is watching you.

And your one to criticse people about Slippry Sloope Fallcyies

Who said anything about slippery slope fallacies? They're already doing it!

Mr Bean wrote:However you want to find a place where Big Brother REALY IS?

China