U.S. Government Proposes "Internet Kill Switch"

[Ih8pkmn]

Yeah, Great idea! Shut off the most major line of Communication the US has! Hell, while you're at it, why don't you just make postal carriers ride horseback to save gas and replace all cell phones with portable telegraphs!

Seriously, though. An Internet kill switch? What event could POSSIBLY assail the internet in such a manner that the US actually needs to shut it down....

If you'll excuse me, I just got an idea for a book.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Word to the wise, saying "Screw you Goverment" isn't going to do any good. Spread the word, write letters, show opposition. Say you won't vote for the people involved, just sitting there insulting somebody won't stop them.

 

[Grey_Focks]

oh relax people, this will never pass. Ever. For starters, we, as Americans, do not own the internet, and shutting even just "our" internet off would have world-wide consequences. Oh, and there is that whole First Amendment thing, too. Pretty sure turning the internet off would violate our right of free speech.

It'll never happen. Ever. So let's just laugh at Ol' Joe Lieberman for being such an old guy and even thinking it's POSSIBLE to just hit a switch and turn the internet off.

 

[GLXRBLT]

If this actually happens, then i'm moving to mars

 

[bz316]

*Angry fist shake*
"LIEBERMAAAAAAAAAN...!!"

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

Shouldn't the thread title be 'Joe Lieberman proposes "Internet Kill Switch"'?

Oh wait, that's right! The Escapist has to relate all stupid comments/ideas to a larger authority in order to facillitate nerd rage!

 

[Loonerinoes]

Gee! I wonder if leaked videos like THIS one could've inspired this lovely plan of theirs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rXPrfnU3G0

 

[dalek sec]

There's no way it can be done short of either Skynet or the Cylon's crashing everything at once when they wage war against us.

 

[Bobic]

I fail to see what everyone is getting so worked up about. They aren't just gonna turn it off for giggles, it'd only get turned off under extreme circumstances and, hell, it'd probably get turned back on 37 minutes later once they've located the super hacker man and defeated his evil, computer related plot.

Worst comes to the worst half the world in unison right click on the little wireless icon and click repair. When that fails we may actually see a rise in productivity for a bit as people stop dossing and get on with their work.

 

[Danny Ocean]

Actually, I agree with this. Once someone finally twigs that America can be pretty well ruined via internet fuckery, then America will be ruined by internet fuckery. Just as well they legislate this now rather than after the cyber-shit hits the cyber-fan.

 

[Carlston]

Really hate to say it...

But they probaly already have one.

 

[Actsub]

No worries.
It's careful planning to eliminate the threat of Skynet when it attempts to kill us all.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

"We cannot afford to wait for a cyber-9/11 before our government realizes the importance of protecting our cyber-resources," said bill co-sponsor Senator Susan Collins [http://collins.senate.gov/public/].

Neither can we stand idly by and allow this sort of insult to occur. Talk about cock-slapping the free economy. Requiring companies to partake in this? And I'm guessing they'll have to pay some sort of dividend FOR this "information sharing." Sounds like the govvies are trying to rake up some more cash to pour into their stupid fuckin' war.

I like how the fines are basically a way of keeping the angle that they still have the right to refuse it. Regardless, this is a joke, and I just can't imagine that they don't understand how many people this would affect!

I don't think they could "turn off" the internet in other countries though... I mean, that sounds like something worth going to war over. Figure every modern company uses the internet as a means of communication, and the internet is turned off for... oh, eight hours, a usual work shift.

The monetary loss would be measured in the billions.

I was more thinking of the internet being connected, and the inability for one country to access data in another country (namely America) would cause problems in terms of functionality. Various American websites would seriously lose traffic as well, it would be fucked up.

I can see online purchases going to hell as well.

 

[Kanima423]

Has Stewart or Colbert did anything on this yet?

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Geeze guys, it's just a 'fail safe' *incase* something bad happens. It's not like the president would knowingly destroy communications of the country unless the threat posed a significantly large problem to do so.

This bill is nothing more than a proposal to have more 'life boats' on the giant ship that is the internet incase of that proverbial ice berg that may 'mess that shit up'.

Or it's probably more akin to Anti-Missile defence systems in case someone does launch a nuke or two at the US. You aren't going to fire them unless you know that missile has been launched and intends to park itself on your doorstep (well .. technically speaking moreso explode 1000 feet above Ground Zero but whatever).

It's not a terrible idea to have a fail safe if you think about it ... I mean Murphy's Law right? What can go wrong will eventually go wrong with enough time. This country-wide internet 'off switch' is just a safety measure against that very remote, but still existent, threat of cyber terrorism.

 

[Shru1kan]

Presumably, in case the internet is used to co-ordinate some form of social uprising, that might threaten those in power. Which is increasingly likely. I'd be worried, if I were them. I do hope to be them, one day. At which point I'd fully agree that the internet needs a kill switch.

Because Americans don't reserve the right to remove the government if it is not working for their benefit?

You know, when we were founded, they gave us guns and said "if we fuck up, just take us out". I feel the need to disband the current government, honestly.

 

[Enzeru92]

What the hell is wrong with the country matter of fact this world. Seriously i just got done reading about Australia fining people for cursing and now the U.S is wanting to kill the internet !!!! WTF!!!!!

 

[The Seldom Seen Kid]

Oh my good lord. I can see it now, so we'll lose words in our language and they'll be able to listen to us threw our TVs. If anyone gets what I'm referencing I will be surprised.

1984?
(Yes. I read it. It doesn't exactly fit that description but it's the closest thing I got.)

OP: I don't particularly see a point for it. But if the wise and all-mighty US thinks it's right, then I'm not one to argue.
[sub] Note the sarcasm. [/sub]

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

What the hell is wrong with the country matter of fact this world. Seriously i just got done reading about Australia fining people for cursing and now the U.S is wanting to kill the internet !!!! WTF!!!!!

That's Queensland, not (real) Australia

Off topic though, why is it whenever the US comes up with a balls up stupid administrative decision in one of it's states it's not 'America', it's '' .... but when one set sets up a proposal in an Australian state, everybody says 'that's Australia'?