ISP Snooping
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Description:
Internet Service Provider (ISP) snooping refers to proposed mandatory requirements to retain records of everything citizens do online. Archives of each individual’s online activities would be automatically retained for law enforcement in logs that would span up to two years. Only the oldest records would be purged at the end of the retainment period, while new online activities would continuously build the archives. The proposed requirement, known as data retention, is a controversial measure that opens the door to a host of concerns for ISPs and privacy advocates alike.
Enablers:
- Terrorism
- Control of Technology
- Control of the Internet
- Data Warehousing
- Global Terrorism
- War on terror
Inhibitors:
- public opposition
- high costs
- opposition from ISPs
- users can encrypt data
Paradigms:
- Reasons for ISP Snooping are increased security, such as protection versus terrorism and child pornography
- People feel less safe with their private information stored and easily accessible
- Comparable with phone line tapping
- ISPs are required to carry high costs to implement the storing technology
Experts:
- Duncan Campbell
- a journalist world renowned for his work on the Echelon satellite surveillance network
- Wayne Madsen
- of the US Electronic Privacy Information Centre
- Tony Bunyan
- from the UK Statewatch Web site
Timing:
- 1994
- Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act.
- June 2005
- Justice Department officials quietly propose data retention rules.
- December 2005
- European Parliament votes for data retention of up to two years.
- April 14, 2006
- Data retention proposals surface in Colorado and the U.S. Congress.
- April 20, 2006
- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales says data retention "must be addressed."
- April 28, 2006
- Democrat proposes data retention amendment, followed by a Republican.
- May 26, 2006
- Gonzales and FBI Director Robert Mueller pressure Internet and telecom companies.
- September 26, 2006
- Politicians suggest that Web hosts and registrars might have to comply. Search engines are also mentioned.
- January 18, 2007
- Gonzales says administration will ask Congress for new laws.
- February 6, 2007
- Republicans introduce mandatory data retention "Safety Act."