Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) introduced a bill in the Senate on April 1st calling for sweeping powers for federal regulators to “secure cyber communications.” The Cybersecurity Act of 2009 (S.773) would give government authority over all networks considered part of the nation’s critical infrastructure.
The usual threats and scare tactics are used to justify giving Big Brother greater powers, including giving the President the power to shut down portions of the internet he deems a threat to national security, and access to vast amounts of digital data currently legally off limits.
Industry experts criticize the pervasive intrusion into private business standards and practices that would result from some of the finer points of the legislation, including a section that grants government exclusive licensing rights to IT professionals.
Here are the basics:
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards development and compliance.
- Licensing and certification of IT professionals.
- Regulation of domain name contracts.
- Executive authority to “shut down the Internet” when in interests of national security.
The bill is still in its infancy being referred to Committee, so now is the time to stop it! Take the time to write or call each of your Congressional representatives. You can look up your representatives’ name and contact information using this tool.
Here is a sample letter you can cut and paste to use as your own:
Details of the Cybersecurity Act of 2009 (S.773) have recently come to my attention. I am writing to voice my utter contempt for this proposed legislation and wish to document opposition to what I consider unacceptable expansion of federal authority into the cyber domain.
S.773 would give the federal government excessive power in regulating the Internet. The power to unilaterally shut down private networks, to garnish unprecedented digital data currently outside the realm of legal authority, and intrusion into commercial practices of professional certification are unacceptable.
Please take serious consideration in evaluating this measure. I urge you to support freedom of the Internet, individual privacy in digital information, and continue to let the private sector make certification and employment decisions without federal coercion.
We must actively fight the erosion of liberty and individual freedom, preserving the values that made this country great. Thank you for your time!
Take a moment to leave a comment below to voice your support for this movement!
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Watch Sen. Rockefeller discuss the bill below. It is not at all evident he truly understands what he’s talking about, yet this man wields power to control us all:
About the author: Rob Viglione is Vice President of SoCal Real Estate Advisors, Inc. (www.socalrea.com), a Southern California real estate brokerage specializing in short sales, distressed properties, and real estate investment analysis. He is also managing director of Viglione & Partners Assurance Group, L.P., a derivatives trading firm.
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April 24th, 2009 at 7:35 am
My husband and I are strongly opposed to this, thanks for spreading the word!
April 24th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
@Lori - No problem. I urge everyone to write their legislators and let their opinion be known. We are heading down the path of ultimate censorship, enabling Big Brother to regulate and ultimately control who gets to spread what information on the Internet.
The Cybersecurity Act has several egregious elements, but make no mistake..this is only a beach head, enabling further government encroachment into this domain. We must fight hardest now, before they get too far!
May 5th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
The Internet is the last thing we have. You have my full support. I have lived long enough to see these things snowball and be misused.
May 7th, 2009 at 8:34 am
I am a software programmer and I am strongly against this. YOU SUCK! …Yeah I said it!
May 10th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
I have copied your letter and will happily email it to my two Senators and my Congressman. Further, i will blast an email to my friends and family about it.
May 26th, 2009 at 7:00 am
You should look into other blogging platforms, wordpress is getting slower and slower these days, I really like the site tho so its worth the wait!!
May 26th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Executive authority to “shut down the Internet” when in interests of national security.
That’s impossible. Look at how failed a policy that’s been for the PRC.
October 27th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Shameful as it is, it seems things will only have to get worse before people get off their asses and fight to make tem better. This has happened a dozen times before. We have to wait for people to be jobless, homeless and starving before any type of revolution will happen, even if its just to restore the country back to the way it was intended to be. Kudos to all you trying to make a difference, maybe people will listen at the “I told you so” after party.
December 31st, 2009 at 9:50 am
Only one problem with your article. You mention that it will give considerable power to data that is off-limits to the Government. NOT-TRUE! They do have access to the data, this will only give them the power to use that data against you in a judicial manner. I was told several years back after reporting a serious matter to the FBI, that I was a fool if I thought that I was not being monitor and this was by a newly hired co-worker. My point is this: We the People, are only being fooled by the Government if we think that our information rather via the internet or any other form of communications is secure from big-not-brother government. Me thinks that is called the National Security Agency and that is their job. Now rather these senators and President abuse this power is another story all-together. Good luck proving it.
February 1st, 2010 at 4:14 am
We cannot let this happen. NO. NO. NO!!!