U.S. Government Proposes "Internet Kill Switch"

[ShadowKatt]

Just a power grab, nothing more. Trying to scare the beaurocrats that know nothing of technology save how to play solitaire and look up porn into believing that PCs are weapons of mass destruction. It's just another chip away at civil rights.

 

[magicmonkeybars]

I'm really very interested to see what exactly a 'cyber-9/11' would be like. Seriously, what the hell are they imagining?

Well ironicly killing the internet would be a cyber 9/11.
It's a very bad thing to do on many different levels.
Yay for Lieberman, friend to terrorists everywhere.

 

[hannan4mitch]

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.

George Orwell's 1984?
Big Brother is watching you, and controlling your internets!

 

[GrinningManiac]

On 6 August 1991, CERN, a pan European organization for particle research, publicized the new World Wide Web project. The Web was invented by British scientist Tim Berners-Lee in 1989. An early popular web browser was ViolaWWW, patterned after HyperCard and built using the X Window System. It was eventually replaced in popularity by the Mosaic web browser. In 1993, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois released version 1.0 of Mosaic, and by late 1994 there was growing public interest in the previously academic, technical Internet. By 1996 usage of the word Internet had become commonplace, and consequently, so had its use as a synecdoche in reference to the World Wide Web.

So the APRAnet, or whatever "prototype" there was, dosen't count. Okay then.

I just think to myself regulary - "what's with British inventing and creating absolutely everything in human history from United States to paperclips?"

Firstly, I never claimed that the British invented everything. That's an issue you're clearly carrying over from some previous argument with a completley different person, and that's an issue you need to work out by yourself

Secondly, this thing we're on now? This is the Web, as created by Berners-Lee. The internet is the platform on which this is delivered, a 'networks of networks' if you will.

Also, yes, the ARPA was a prototype internet (in the loosest definition of the word). It was America linking together all it's national radar to protect its communication networks in the event of a crisis. No international internet, no public use, nothing a 'Cyber-Terrorist' could get his claws on, especially considering that there was no wireless or anything that would allow him to 'tap' into the system.

I'm getting a sense of hostility from you, which I don't like. Quite frankly, this argument is finished, not because you or I won, but because I'm not willing to deal with people who sound aggressive

 

[Mr.Mattress]

I am totally against the complete "Turn Off" of the internet, even for 5 minutes, by anyone. While a Cyber 9/11 is possible, I highly doubt it could be done right now. If the president has any control over the internet, he should just be able to ban certain Websites (I am looking at you RevolutionMuslim.com!)

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

You can't do this! The internet is a truly international and global phenomenon. If someone were to shut down America's communications it would be regarded as an act of terrorism or a declaration of war. So why should they be allowed to shut down other countries' internet? It's the same sort of proposal. It's allowing them the right to commit terrorist attacks on other countries.

Does this senator even know what the internet is?

 

[Estocavio]

Think carefully for a second.

If someone was that good at hacking, theyd HACK the fucking kill switch!

 

[somedarnguy]

Ugh, such astounding intellect coming from these government officials... Cyber-warriors, Cyber-spies, cyber-9/11... Seriously? Methinks it is time to just end it all. Bring on the Cybermen.

Spoiler

 

[Lord_Gremlin]

Oh yeah?

Well the US government can suck my cock.

Same here.
That said, I live in Russia and believe in nuclear weapons.

Anyway, the idea is pretty stupid, since it'll be extremely expensive to bring to live and still this "switch" won't be absolute. I'm not surprised US came up with this idea, but I've expected China to be the first...

 

[Ranorak]

Cyber-9/11 already happened.
Twice.

I was called Tubgirl and 2 Girls 1 Cup.

 

[longbowgr]

"We want to contol everything!" (quoting Americans)

 

[brunt32]

The internet does not belong to the U.S government. It is not theres to shut down.

I don't think you understand what it's saying, They can't shut down the 'internet' but will shut off all the hosting which is owned within the US.
Also probably shutting down all US Isp, But for all of us Non-US we can still access the internet just not US stuff. Which isnt alot.

Totaly a fair point my freind, but that's not what I was trying to put across, If I may quote from the original article
"To counter those potential cyber-shenanigans, the bill would give a newly-formed National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications the authority to monitor the "security status" of private websites, ISPs and other net-related business within the U.S. as well as critical internet components in other countries."

This would effect everybody in the world imo. As you say this would not leave a lot of infroweb for the rest of us. I don't belive anybody should be comfortable with there government having that kind of power.

Sorry, I didnt understand the point you were putting off at the start but yes I totattly agree with what your saying.

I'm not to sure if 'Google.com' I know it's HQ is based there but i'm not sure of all the details but if all the 'Google' Websites were closed lots of the internet itselfs would be gone.

 

[xqxm]

That is all.

 

[Blanks]

Like the entire internet? or just in the U.S.?

 

[dragontiers]

I could understand the concept of closing off the internet to government buildings/servers, where the "sensitive" information is stored (although if it's that damn sensitive, it shouldn't be in a computer hooked to the internet in the first place), but not the whole of the internet (if that would even be possible at this point). Hell, that's the equivalent of turning off all the phone service in the US any time any terrorist activities happen. It wouldn't prevent anything (after all, if they are already in doing their "cyber terrorism", it's too late), and would just cripple the rest of the country that's not affected by the attack, essentially giving more power to the terrorist, not less. Complete fail.

 

[Danik93]

HA! Loving the mocking, Mr. Chalk. Cyber-this and Cyber-that

Mr. Government,
[/i]You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means[/i]

OT: Is this just for the US? Cus I'm questioning why they would have any right to turn off British internet, considering A) They HAVE no right and B) We technically invented it

I thought that the US military invented it? please tell me more!

 

[Hobo Joe]

That would be the single most retarded thing to ever happen. What about people in other countries anyway?

 

[KiruTheMant]

HA! Loving the mocking, Mr. Chalk. Cyber-this and Cyber-that

Mr. Government,
[/i]You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means[/i]

OT: Is this just for the US? Cus I'm questioning why they would have any right to turn off British internet, considering A) They HAVE no right and B) We technically invented it

My United Technologies professor says that it was a joint project between North America,Britain,and segments of Canada.

Hmmm.

 

[TOGSolid]

Oh, Lieberman! What zany right-wing paranoid fear-mongering will you bring us next? And, more importantly, what civil liberties crushing solution will you propose?

Gut miranda rights? Check. Deny accused criminals other basic rights? Check. Pave the way for a government seizure of the internet? Check.

I could have sworn Lieberman was an Independent Democrat. So wouldn't he be left wing? Or is that the problem? I haven't paid much attention with politics, they've increasingly made me jaded and depressed.

Lieberman is registered as an Independant Democrat, but that's in name only. His views are VERY much in line with the conservatives and I doubt he's got much of a political career left. The more time goes on, the further right he's swinging.