Panel seeks to fine tech companies for noncompliance with wiretap orders
Source: Washington Post
A government task force is preparing legislation that would pressure companies such as Facebook and Google to enable law enforcement officials to intercept online communications as they occur, according to current and former U.S. officials familiar with the effort.
Driven by FBI concerns that it is unable to tap the Internet communications of terrorists and other criminals, the task forces proposal would penalize companies that failed to heed wiretap orders court authorizations for the government to intercept suspects communications.
... There is currently no way to wiretap some of these communications methods easily, and companies effectively have been able to avoid complying with court orders. While the companies argue that they have no means to facilitate the wiretap, the government, in turn, has no desire to enter into what could be a drawn-out contempt proceeding.
... This proposal is a non-starter that would drive innovators overseas and cost American jobs, said Greg Nojeim, a senior counsel at the Center for Democracy and Technology, which focuses on issues of privacy and security. They might as well call it the Cyber Insecurity and Anti-Employment Act.
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/proposal-seeks-to-fine-tech-companies-for-noncompliance-with-wiretap-orders/2013/04/28/29e7d9d8-a83c-11e2-b029-8fb7e977ef71_story.html