CISPA gets worse... and then passes

[Thanatos 2,847]

Source

 

The vote followed the debate on amendments, several of which were passed. Among them was an absolutely terrible change (pdf and embedded below—scroll to amendment #6) to the definition of what the government can do with shared information, put forth by Rep. Quayle. Astonishingly, it was described as limiting the government's power, even though it in fact expands it by adding more items to the list of acceptable purposes for which shared information can be used. Even more astonishingly, it passed with a near-unanimous vote. The CISPA that was just approved by the House is much worse than the CISPA being discussed as recently as this morning.

 

Previously, CISPA allowed the government to use information for "cybersecurity" or "national security" purposes. Those purposes have not been limited or removed. Instead, three more valid uses have been added: investigation and prosecution of cybersecurity crime, protection of individuals, and protection of children. Cybersecurity crime is defined as any crime involving network disruption or hacking, plus any violation of the CFAA. Basically this means CISPA can no longer be called a cybersecurity bill at all.

 

The government would be able to search information it collects under CISPA for the purposes of investigating American citizens with complete immunity from all privacy protections as long as they can claim someone committed a "cybersecurity crime". Basically it says the 4th Amendment does not apply online, at all. Moreover, the government could do whatever it wants with the data as long as it can claim that someone was in danger of bodily harm, or that children were somehow threatened—again, notwithstanding absolutely any other law that would normally limit the government's power.

 

Source

 

What made CISPA so controversial is a section saying that, "notwithstanding any other provision of law," companies may share information with Homeland Security, the IRS, the NSA, or other agencies. By including the word "notwithstanding," CISPA's drafters intended to make their legislation trump all existing federal and state laws, including ones dealing with wiretaps, educational records, medical privacy, and more.

 

This country gets more and more whacked every day.

 

This *cannot* get through the Senate.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

R.I.P. America

[SteVo+ 3,702]

May the Senate shoot this down. If they don't, 99% sure Obama will veto the fuck out of it.

[BigBen07 285]

R.I.P. America

 

First your country and then the WORLD!!!

 

George Orwell is rolling in his grave.

[KiLaSix9+ 398]

The White House has said they would veto this. Lets see what happens.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

I will be calling the offices of both Florida Senators today to tell them I will not support them if they vote for this bill. Gonna try to spread the word and get as many people to do it as possible.

[CARDINAL 205]

I will be calling the offices of both Florida Senators today to tell them I will not support them if they vote for this bill. Gonna try to spread the word and get as many people to do it as possible.

 

What is the premise behind this bill? Also, what does CISPA stand for anyway?

[WindyCitySports 407]

...investigation and prosecution of cybersecurity crime, protection of individuals, and protection of children.

 

The Federal Government: Using the most vague language to give themselves more power since 1933.

 

Let me just say that every day I get more discontent with both parties and closer to voting third party in the Presidential Election. I know for sure that I am not voting for my asshole congressman, who is a Republican. I don't even like the Democrat, but when someone votes against my interests and then won't even respond to my persistent calls/e-mails/tweets, I'm voting for the challenger.

 

We're screwing ourselves so hard and only a minority of the country seems to give a shit.