Gov't seeks to fine companies for not inventing new ways to wiretap your computer.

[OriginalShroom]

This has got to stop.

Fining companies for not wiretapping when they don't have the ability to do so?

Proposal seeks to fine tech companies for noncompliance with wiretap orders - The Washington Post

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.

Under the draft proposal, a court could levy a series of escalating fines, starting at tens of thousands of dollars, on firms that fail to comply with wiretap orders, according to persons who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. A company that does not comply with an order within a certain period would face an automatic judicial inquiry, which could lead to fines. After 90 days, fines that remain unpaid would double daily.

Instead of setting rules that dictate how the wiretap capability must be built, the proposal would let companies develop the solutions as long as those solutions yielded the needed data. That flexibility was seen as inevitable by those crafting the proposal, given the range of technology companies that might receive wiretap orders. Smaller companies would be exempt from the fines.

 

[Clementine]

This kind of shit keeps happening and too many people yawn. Shows how too many are getting used to an over-reaching government. Government clearly does not wish any citizen to enjoy privacy. It's one thing when authorities get court orders to spy when they have reasonable cause to do so. Now it seems that government feels it should be able to spy on anyone at any time. I suspect they are more worried about thought crimes and knowing who is against the regime.