CISPA Cybersecurity Bill, currently in the United States Congress

[phayze]

http://rt.com/usa/news/cispa-bill-sopa-internet-175/

Basically, you all remember the whole PIPA/SOPA fiasco from a few months ago. Well, we knew they'd be back once the initial furor died down. Behold, CISPA, the 100x worse bill.

In effect, what CISPA is trying to do is take the new Arizona Internet Censorship law and taking it to unheard of heights. The way the law is written gives the government the right to censor, basically, anything and everything on the internet that it deems is "disruptive or offensive" to government or business.

-You want to use Facebook or Twitter to organize an otherwise legal protest? Well, it's inherently disruptive, therefore can be censored.
-You and a partner want to create a business that competes with another business, maybe one that has strong government ties? Well, that's disruptive, so therefore censored.
-The government will have the authority to access, read, and preemptively censor, WITHOUT ANY DUE PROCESS OR OVERSIGHT, basically anything you write, if it wants to. Emails, social media, hell, MMO-Champion forums.
-It does not matter if the intent of the law is this, or even if the law stands up to the unquestionable challenges it will face. The fact of the matter is Congress is even considering this bill, let alone having written it.

This is not a joke. This is not some make-believe fairy tale that doesn't affect you. A law like this, if it became the law of the land, affects each and every single one of us in today's society. You can do two things: ignore it and hope it doesn't bother you (the head in the sand technique), or you can spread the word far and wide to everyone and anyone, and pester them to write letter after letter after letter to their lawmakers expressing that we do not want censorship of any kind. You need to write to your lawmakers, 10 letters a day if you have to, until you get a response. Make a meeting with them as is your right as a citizen and force them to explain why the government should be able to read and censor your emails discussing your dissatisfaction with the tax code, or how you can make a better software company than Microsoft.

We need to stop being ignorant. Instead of worrying about Kim Kardashian's cup size or how Tim Tebow got screwed, we need to start taking control of our government before it reaches the point of no return (assuming it already hasn't [read Citizens United case, a whole other topic]).

Wake up, people! We each *CAN* make a difference, by doing something. Do not be sheep!

www.house.gov
www.senate.gov

Make your voice heard! If you don't, the government will gladly shut you up for you.

EDIT: It's been posted already in this thread, but putting it in the original post: an online petition that within hours has already signed up almost 200,000 people. Please at least sign this petition:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_cispa/?fp

[obdigore]

What if I like being sheep?

In other news, a link to the bill itself instead of commentary would be nice.

[phayze]

What if I like being sheep?

In other news, a link to the bill itself instead of commentary would be nice.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr3523

[Kalyyn]

* deep breath in

Still better than living in China...
Still better than living in China...
Still better than living in China...

* deep breath out

I think I'll be alright. It's just best to keep in mind that, while thousands of bills are written every year, very few even make it to a vote. A senator can write a bill calling for the extermination of all persons under 6 feet in height, but it doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of passing. I feel like this is one of those snowballs.

[obdigore]

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr3523

Errr... This bill is about the sharing of information, and unless I missed it, in no way allows anyone to delete whatever they want, however they want, whenever they want.

The only thing I see is Page 5 Section 2 A that indicates that whoever is doing the sharing of information can choose to not tell everyone else how they came by this information?

[Shadowmelded]

* deep breath in

Still better than living in China...
Still better than living in China...
Still better than living in China...

* deep breath out

I think I'll be alright. It's just best to keep in mind that, while thousands of bills are written every year, very few even make it to a vote. A senator can write a bill calling for the extermination of all persons under 6 feet in height, but it doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of passing. I feel like this is one of those snowballs.

Yeah, there are thousands of crazy bills in congress that will never see the light of day. Hopefully they've learned their lesson with the mdia outcry against Sopa etc...

[Resentful]

Sigh, Why can't they just vanish? It's getting ridiculous every time we the people take something down, Something WORST takes it's place. It's becoming hopeless -.-

[RandomAustralian]

When will those American senators realise that they cannot control the world. What the fk happened to free speech and all that jazz, "oh, we'll only support it when it suits us". You guys really need to kick these senators in the privates and vote them out, tell them they have no right to do things like this. I can tell you right now, other countries will not be impressed when our websites start being taken down because of a silly bill that passed over there.

[Deleted]

We think this bill has a 13% chance of passing Congress.

And that is just passing congress.
Then the senate will take a look at it.
And after that, the president can still veto it.

Do you really think a president would take legalize such a drastic law in an election year?

[obdigore]

When will those American senators realise that they cannot control the world. What the fk happened to free speech and all that jazz, "oh, we'll only support it when it suits us". You guys really need to kick these senators in the privates and vote them out, tell them they have no right to do things like this. I can tell you right now, other countries will not be impressed when our websites start being taken down because of a silly bill that passed over there.

Come talk to us when you can play games suitable for people over the age of 16 :P

Seriously though, can someone point out to me in the bill where they can remove information? Thanks.

[phayze]

I think I'll be alright. It's just best to keep in mind that, while thousands of bills are written every year, very few even make it to a vote. A senator can write a bill calling for the extermination of all persons under 6 feet in height, but it doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of passing. I feel like this is one of those snowballs.

That's what they said about SOPA/PIPA, and you know, it almost got passed. We just got lucky and it became big news, and millions of people wrote to their congresspeople. And need I remind you that states such as Arizona, have passed/are considering similar types of bills. All Jan Brewer (Arizona Governor) needs to do is ignore the Arizona bill for a few more days before it automatically becomes law. We live in very strange times, and things do not have to make sense any more, it seems, when it comes to government. (not that it ever really did, but is there anyone here that will argue that government today is anything but dysfunctional, sometimes simply for no other reason than to be dysfunctional).

Are you willing to just throw your hands up and pray you'll be "alright" as you said? Or will you maybe, just maybe say, "hey this is pretty important, let me write a quick letter to my Representative, and let me make sure some of my friends and family write one, too, you know, just to be safe."

For me, the choice is pretty easy. For you?

[obdigore]

And that is just passing congress.
Then the senate will take a look at it.
And after that, the president can still veto it.

Do you really think a president would take legalize such a drastic law in an election year?

errr... Congress is the House + Senate.

[RandomAustralian]

Come talk to us when you can play games suitable for people over the age of 16 :P

Seriously though, can someone point out to me in the bill where they can remove information? Thanks.

Talking to you right now aren't I? There are some laws censoring 18+ R rated games, but I believe they only stop stores in Australia selling, you're still allowed to purchase them online and ship them in.

[jbombard]

Anyway it's good to see people being vigilant as the politicians will likely try to slide something by.

Edit:double post

---------- Post added 2012-04-04 at 04:42 PM ----------

errr... Congress is the House + Senate.

posted this once... looked like a double post... deleted the text... now its gone... arrgggh.

I couldn't find anything either. I don't think people posting here have actually read the bill. It's not about censorship at all, it's about the sharing and protecting of cybersecurity information mostly dealing with non-government agencies. How that information is procured isn't really talked about.

[phayze]

Actually, I did read the bill. The reason why this particular bill is so sneaky and insidious is because on the surface, it appears designed for cybersecurity. A noble, worthy cause, yes?

The problem is, it is basically an addendum to the National Security Act of 1947. What it adds is allowing the Director of National Intelligence to determine what is and is not considered a "cyber threat." This can be anything whatsoever. There is no limit, because virtually any electronic can be deemed either protected information, or a threat to protected entity or information. There is no limit on what the DNI can deem a suspected cyber threat. Hell, the DNI and government themselves might not even do it. They have the authority to hire private companies and private individuals to make that determination. Without any sort of limits or guidelines, any and all communications through the Internet will be subject to review, with no due process. Because this bill falls under the National Security Act, the government (or their private sector agents) get the right to summarily censor basically, anything they deem a "threat."

Are you willing to give that sort of power to the government? Do you trust them enough that they will only try to go after the "real" cyber attacks, and leave everything else alone? If that is the case, why not make the law more clear and more detailed? History has shown us that if you give the government enough power, it will exercise it. I for one do not want a law on the books that at any time, the government, any of its entities, and any of the private contractors can access my information and deem it a threat, and censor me. The bill also has a provision that the government does not even need to disclose what criteria it used to determine my email or twitter post or facebook page a "threat." And I cannot later sue, or ask for prosecution of, the government or the private contractors if they, "acted in good faith."

Just read the law for yourself, I posted the link above. Everything is ambiguous, far reaching, and ever-powerful. Whether or not the current DNI and his team, or the next abuses this law is irrelevant. The fact of the matter is, it *allows* the government to this sort of overreaching abuse basically at any time. And we have no recourse. Are you so willing to give up your Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights so easily and so blase that you will trust the government to always do what is right? Or, once again, will you force the law to be worded correctly and very specifically and narrowly? I'm all for cybersecurity. I'm all for anti-piracy. But there are ways to do it without giving them a 155mm howitzer to do the job of a scalpel. Change the wording, make it specific, have proper oversight, proper recourses, and make it a law all of us can live with.

[Kalyyn]

For me, the choice is pretty easy. For you?

I signed a petition against SOPA. That's honestly as far as I'm willing to go. Get a petition going for this one, and I'll sign it too. I'm not going to march on Washington for it, though.

Be honest, did you/will you write a letter to your congressman? I'd like to see it. Otherwise, all that "for me the choice is easy" stuff is just talk

[jbombard]

@phayze

Weird I read their definition of a cyber threat intelligence as

‘‘(2) CYBER THREAT INTELLIGENCE.—The
term ‘cyber threat intelligence’ means information in
the possession of an element of the intelligence com-
munity directly pertaining to a vulnerability of, or
threat to, a system or network of a government or
private entity, including information pertaining to
the protection of a system or network from—
‘‘(A) efforts to degrade, disrupt, or destroy
such system or network; or
‘‘(B) theft or misappropriation of private
or government information, intellectual prop-
erty, or personally identifiable information."

And this bill pretty much discusses how such information is to be shared, and protected. Nothing in there about how it is to be procured, censored, or otherwise acted upon.

Granted reading all that legal crap give me a headache, but if you could point out the section you are referring to I would be immensely grateful.

[This name sucks]

And so it begins, the for 4th time.

[Xeones]

* deep breath in

Still better than living in China...
Still better than living in China...
Still better than living in China...

* deep breath out

I think I'll be alright. It's just best to keep in mind that, while thousands of bills are written every year, very few even make it to a vote. A senator can write a bill calling for the extermination of all persons under 6 feet in height, but it doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of passing. I feel like this is one of those snowballs.

This has a chance if it passes ignored. That cannot be allowed. SOPA was on a fast track through congress and would have passed if we didn't stop it. Pretending if you ignore it and hope for the best it will all go away doesn't work.

[I stand in fire]

Yeah, there are thousands of crazy bills in congress that will never see the light of day. Hopefully they've learned their lesson with the mdia outcry against Sopa etc...

Believe me, they didn't.