Call to give Obama 'kill switch' powers to cut internet access in the event of national cyber crisis

Call to give Obama 'kill switch' powers to cut internet access in the event of national cyber crisi
While the Egyptian government has drawn international criticism for shutting down internet and mobile phone access during civil unrest, it might alarm many Americans to learn that Barack Obama may soon have the same powers.
Lawmakers are set to debate a controversial new plan to give the President the power to shut down the Internet in case of a cyber emergency.

The proposal is certain to meet opposition, but Senator Susan Collins, the co-sponsor of the bill, insisted today that the legislation would not be used for censorship.
Obama

'Turn it off!': Under proposed new laws, President Barack Obama would have the power to cut access to the internet in the event of a cyber threat to national security

She said it would 'provide a mechanism for the government to work with the private sector in the event of a true cyber emergency.

'It would give our nation the best tools available to swiftly respond to a significant threat.'

Former vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman, chairman of the U.S. Homeland Security Committee, said safeguards were needed to 'preserve those networks and assets and our country and protect our people'.

He claimed national security was at risk from new foes such as 'cyber warriors, cyber spies, cyber terrorists and cyber criminals'.

He said: 'For all its allure, the Internet can be a dangerous place with electronic pipelines that run directly into everything from our personal bank accounts to key infrastructure to government and industrial secrets.'
Senators

Presidential powers: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joseph Lieberman and Senator Susan Collins. Both are in favour of a 'kill switch' bill

The issue has been brought into sharp focus by moves by the Egyptian authorities in recent days to disrupt activists by preventing them from using the Internet or their phones to arrange rallies.

Egypt's four main Internet service providers reportedly cut off international access for their customers at the same time last Thursday.

Officials said the shutdown is the most comprehensive official electronic blackout in history.

Mr Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have both called on the Egyptian government to restore the Internet and social networking sites.

The plan to give the president the right to flip the kill switch of the Internet has already attracted opposition from abroad.
'For all its allure, the Internet can be a dangerous place with electronic pipelines that run directly into everything from our personal bank accounts to key infrastructure to government and industrial secrets'

Bjorn Landfeldt, an associate professor at the University of Sydney, Australia, said taking the Internet offline would 'inflict an enormous damage on the world'.

He added that it would be tantamount to giving a country 'the right to poison the atmosphere, or poison the ocean'.

But officials said there was no intention to paralyse the Internet.

Republican Brandon Milhorn said: 'We're not trying to mandate any requirement for the entire Internet backbone.'

He said the proposal would only assert governmental control over those 'crucial components that form our nation's critical infrastructure'.

One contentious provision of the bill is that it would prevent private companies from contesting the shutdown in court.

Steve DelBianco, director of the NetChoice coalition - which includes eBay, Oracle, Verisign and Yahoo as members - said: 'Judicial review is our main concern. A designation of critical information infrastructure brings with it huge obligations for upgrades and compliance.'

In some cases, said Mr DelBianco, a company might have a 'good-faith disagreement' with the government's ruling and would want to seek court review.

He said: 'The country we're seeking to protect is a country that respects the right of any individual to have their day in court. Yet this bill would deny that day in court to the owner of infrastructure

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[MrTheNova]

i think it should be allowed in obamas hand he is the head of the army and when the unites states comes under attack either cyber or reality he must act. so i think he should have it. and cyber hacks can be stuff like hacking into multiple databases and not being able to stop it. and the hacker mite be extracting info that can destroy thr us thats an example of one i mean ive never really herd of one happening but ive seen it in a million movies!

[djkayspeaks]

@MrTheNova thanks for your comment

[SelflessEmpire]

@MrTheNova your way to trusting of your federal friends, if there was a human kill switch, trust me, they wouldn't think twice to flip it. Humanity as a whole is not something Obama or any other Fed agent cares about.

[ostendSoCA]

HAHAHAHA, so, if a hacker can steal my facebook account and check my emails, they may in turn extract info that could destroy the US? I mean, if you're gonna go on the basis of its occurrence in movies then have you learned nothing from the anti-government remote viewing titles like "hackers" "anti-trust" and "enemy of the state"

I don't see how anyone's control over the internet, barring parental supervision, is good for the people.

[glowzone]

Obama is a promise breaker. Promises peace. More war. Close down Gitmo? NAH! Not yet. Troops out of Iraq yet? He told us, "You can take THAT to the bank!" HA!That check hasn't cashed yet Mr. President. Banks got paid, but people like us are losing homes and jobs, while GE pays NO taxes. Ron Paul if you please!

[glowzone]

@rolomail THANK YOU! Some of the zombies out there love Obama and they forget that other Presidens will follow....DIFFERENT from Obama. They could be better or could be worse, but WHY do you want to give them ALL THAT POWER and take that risk? It's dumb ya'll.

[jnvbeach11]

1 step closer to socialism...

[rolomail]

"Cyber emergency" means the power to shut down the flow of information when they get exposed, or too many people see information they don't want seen. Obama is a former CIA agent. So was his mother. 14 members of his cabinet are members of the tri-lateral commission. Wake up.

[terrac1de]

@ostendSoCA agreed , the government runs healthcare, education, military, etc and they are doing a really great job with those. I trust them with the internet..NOT

[orgwarchants]

Really? I have idea how that kind of power could been seen as under jurisdiction of the US government. Using a cyber attack as a reason is a ridiculous. Its obvious they want control over communication of the people, they can cut media, cellular and land line communication, and lastly the final Goliath of communication under no control but monitoring, the internet. Seems obvious from my where Im chillin.

Peace.

[411American]

Obama turns off Americans

INSANITY is between you and yourself

STUPIDITY is between you and your Govern- Mental.

We found a cure for insanity there is none for stupidity. The prostitutes i mean citizens may they follow great life's

End the UNION and Save America -End the FED

[biorgymd]

We are seeing Senator Joe Libermans Internet Killswitch Bill in full action, being played out in real time, right now in Egypt.

Remember America, the Internet Killswitch is for your protection, safety, security and to safeguard you from Terrorist. Homeland Security fully supports the Bill and so does President Mubarak of Egypt.

Now we know the truth Mr. Lieberman, behind your evil and sinister Internet Killswitch Bill. Velcome to Amerkia, show me your papers