Law enforcement and Homeland Security officials are asking for new surveillance tools to help them override e-mail encryption and other electronic security measures.
The administration wants the authority to demand keys allowing agents to read encrypted e-mails, and use back doors to bypass security measures at Facebook and other social networking sites. Providers of such electronic services would be required to show they can comply with a judge’s wiretap order.
The administration said the goal is simply to preserve the government’s ability to pursue lawful surveillance of suspected criminals and terrorists. Unfortunately, some police and national security agencies have a big appetite for data, and history of taking surveillance too far.
It’s not clear to what extent citizens are subject to government data-mining and other forms of electronic surveillance. One of the persistent worries about the Internet is that privacy is being eroded by private systems that track our interests and messages. It’s disconcerting to think that the government wants to compromise online tools developed to protect privacy.
The argument on behalf of this plan calls up the image of government agents as ordinary policemen who need a modern-day equivalent of a phone tap. Yet federal agencies already have advanced surveillance tools; they simply want a bigger arsenal to use against common criminals and ordinary trouble-makers.
It’s not a sufficient need to further compromise privacy. Broad government surveillance is a hallmark of repressive regimes. Congress should resist any proposals that take us in this direction.
— Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Nick Cowenhoven at nickc@journaltribune.com.
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