Proposed Bill Gives Obama Power to Shut Down Internet

[John Stalvern]

I'm now convinced two thirds of the Escapist community doesn't understand or doesn't care to learn how the U.S. passes legislation.

 

[Svenparty]

Admit it, if you were the president you'd want an instant RAGE QUIT button that pisses off the country if not the WORLD.

 

[Sewblon]

I told you that everyone who disagrees with me is a fascist! why didn't you all believe me? Thank you lord father in heaven for this bounty of irony. If this gets passed I am going to form a new government.

 

[Banaticus]

The Secretary of Commerce would also have the power to "access to all relevant data concerning [critical] networks without regard to any provision of law, regulation, rule, or policy restricting such access."

This is the important part. Remember when Google was asked for all of its search data and they went to court over it? That scenario will never happen again, once this bill passes -- a governmental body merely has to piggyback or otherwise liase with the Department of Commerce.

 

[garjian]

this is terrible...
what gives america the right to do that... or even decide on such a thing! >:/

 

[pffh]

Lets see extreme power in the hands of a charismatic leader that comes to power after a leader that is consider by it's nation to have screwed up everything. Now where have I seen this before?

 

[Pimppeter2]

So I cant watch porn when they finally launch the doomsday rocket? There go my apocolypse plans!

 

[GnomeThief]

I really don't think this will get passed. Like people have been saying, you can't just flip a switch to shut down the internet. On top of that, wouldn't we (America) be shooting ourselves in the foot by shutting down our main method of communications, transactions, and data storage during a crisis?

 

[slipknot4]

C'mon, that's retarded...

 

[NeutralDrow]

This entire fucking thread is one facepalm of epic proportions.

Not the whole proposed bill thing. The posters. This is a giant pit of unreasonable panic, phenomenal ignorance, and smug deprecation, the likes of which I've never seen before because I avoid places with reputations for such. It's horribly disappointing.

I'm now convinced two thirds of the Escapist community doesn't understand or doesn't care to learn how the U.S. passes legislation.

Just two-thirds?

...I guess you're right. Not everyone's seen this thread.

 

[Sneaky Paladin]

wait if this happens in america and no where else and an american has an account for an online game they pay monthly for and it shuts down how would they end the subscription would they just continue paying forever? SHHHIIIITTTT

 

[NeutralDrow]

We all understand how laws pass in America.
It gets into congress, whom are afraid of the internet and video games, and if we're lucky, it won't pass. But if the past 2 decades are any indication of what politicians think about anything that isn't apple pie, you can bet they'll be trying to pass it.
Now, kindly piss off, you haven't been here very long, so you don't know very many people. But do not pass sweeping judgments on people you don't know.

I'm not passing sweeping judgments on people I don't know. I'm passing judgment on people I've seen in this thread going "OMG the US government wants to shut down the internet, those retards), "I knew Obama was a communist who wants to control what you think," and the like. I'm sure they're all wonderful yet unbelievably paranoid people; I just wish they'd save the paranoia for something worth it.

 

[NeutralDrow]

We all understand how laws pass in America.
It gets into congress, whom are afraid of the internet and video games, and if we're lucky, it won't pass. But if the past 2 decades are any indication of what politicians think about anything that isn't apple pie, you can bet they'll be trying to pass it.
Now, kindly piss off, you haven't been here very long, so you don't know very many people. But do not pass sweeping judgments on people you don't know.

I'm not passing sweeping judgments on people I don't know. I'm passing judgment on people I've seen in this thread going "OMG the US government wants to shut down the internet, those retards), "I knew Obama was a communist who wants to control what you think," and the like. I'm sure they're all wonderful yet unbelievably paranoid people; I just wish they'd save the paranoia for something worth it.

So, the American government makes you feel your right are protected? Because, in the past decade our free speech has become less and less free.

Yes, they do. Though the cynic in me reels, I really do feel protected. I've eventually learned that responses to "threats against our free speech" are quite often severe overreactions at best, delusions at worst. And the only exception I can think of off the top of my head are certain provisions in the Patriot Act.

 

[McClaud]

Wow, I knew that Rockafeller and Snowe hated the Internet because of what they saw happening with Obama and other politicians such as Ron Paul. Rockafeller was even quoted saying that the Internet is a danger to future political actions. Their old way of politics is now threatened, so give the President - any President - the ability to limit the affect of the Internet during elections.

These old people on Capital Hill have always had contempt for the Internet. During elections. Blogging. Video games. The sharing of information. The mere fact they can't seem to wrap their heads around it, because that would be too much work.

It really has nothing to do with Obama. It has more to do with the fact that Obama's campaign had influence via the Internet, allowing people to have a greater effect in elections. And that exposure and revelation has scared most of Congress shitless. Because Obama's President now means that it would affect him.

 

[Dogmeat T Dingo]

TO REITERATE:
READ THE BILL
IT DOES NOTHING LIKE WHAT YOU PEOPLE THINK IT DOES
READ MY PREVIOUS POST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS REALLY INVOLVED HERE

Ok, you people need to calm down. This is what happens when you don't read through articles yourselvesa and don't fact-check. The Cybersecurity Adviser position, not the president himself, would have the power only to disconnect Federal Infrastructure Networks, if he felt the threat was imminent I.E. any government department, which processes the data of every citizen in the united states, could be disconnected if a vulnerability ws found that put said data at risk, or if the network controlled something which could be damageed by a cyber attack. That is all this bill does in the way of "shutting down the internet". Also, learn your own governmental system, for god's sake. The President does not propose bills, It hasn't even passed by congress yet, and you are all here accusing Obama of trying to stifle your freedoms.

@ssgt splatter: 1984 is a distopian book written by George Orwell which featured a soviet style government with total control of their people, right down to constant monitoring and "though-crimes"

Edit: Sorry for the rant, but it irks me when people begin trumping up rumors and panicking because they lack the common sense to go look for themselves.

Just thought this should be brought up again, since everyone seems to be ignoring it and jumping into 1984 mode.

 

[Arbre]

Lets see extreme power in the hands of a charismatic leader that comes to power after a leader that is consider by it's nation to have screwed up everything. Now where have I seen this before?

Who knows?

 

[dragonburner]

The WOW fanatics crying in their mothers basements will be hilarious. Sorry to those who don't live in basements and play WOW.