Police want backdoor to Web users' private data.

02-11-2010 • Wendy McElroy

Jim Harper, a policy analyst at the free-market Cato Institute, says that he welcomes the idea of a police-only Web interface as long as it's designed carefully. "A system like this should have strong logins, should require that the request be documented fully, and should produce statistical information so there can be strong oversight," he says. "I think that's a good thing to have."

5 Comments in Response to Police want backdoor to Web users' private data.

Comment by Lucky Red

Entered on: 2/12/2010 11:19:04 AM

Whadaya mean they want? I thought that had been implemented a long time ago

Comment by Justen Robertson

Entered on: 2/12/2010 11:18:40 AM

I know Cato is a mixed bag of intellectuals, but some of the cranks they have there just blow my fucking mind.

"A system like this should have strong logins, should require that the request be documented fully, and should produce statistical information so there can be strong oversight," he says. "I think that's a good thing to have."
Are you fucking kidding me?! In what universe is that going to happen? Every time some psychotic totalitarian bullshit like this is suggested there's always going to be "strong controls" and blah blah blah, and you know what, it NEVER happens that way.

Oh well, I'm not worried about it. If they get their backdoors, I'll start using strong encryption on everything worth protecting. Easy peasy. It's just sickening that someone proposes something like this as a "good idea" that will "keep us safe". Safe from whom? Safe to do what?

Comment by Tee Kay

Entered on: 2/12/2010 7:14:59 AM

Are you EFFING kidding me! This kind of stuff sounds like the KGB. Good bye to freedom of speech on the net...

Comment by Powell Gammill

Entered on: 2/12/2010 5:50:10 AM

Yup. What was it L. Neil said about your "friends?"

Comment by Ernest Hancock

Entered on: 2/11/2010 10:10:32 PM

Cato? Figures.

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