Obama 'Internet kill switch' plan approved by US Senate panel
President could get power to turn off Internet

http://news.techworld.com/security/3228 ... e/?olo=rss

[edited]

So if he doesn't like the free speech that someone is exercising then he can just shut it down if he really wanted to.


That's nice.

If we were ever engaged in a real war, he could easily cut us off from the overseas press. We'd receive only news that the government wanted us to hear.

I'm sure some crazy computer geniuses will make a new internet. The internets can not be beat.

Have you even read the actual plan?
Theres more to it than just "switching it off"
The media is full of [edited] a big % of the time...

Not saying I agree with it, but do research before spouting off.

That sounds eerily like 1984. Future...here we come...

This could potentially be the end of the democracy we're supposed to have...

The media is made up of biased liberals.

Be that as it may, in this case I think it is the conservative press that is trying to portray this cyber security bill as something nefarious.

My understanding of the idea here is that if, say, China jacks into the Pentagon's computers, or nuclear power plants, or something else vital to America's security and safety, then the government can shut down the internet portals into the States to thwart the attacks.

If people read the actual article, they will see that this bill actually puts limits on what the government can do, compared to what it was allowed to do previously.

@ FlapjackGeorge, this isn't a democracy, it's a republic. Many people make that mistake but there is a difference. You have to wonder why the government schools actually tend to teach this mistake.....

Right, my mistake...still, what I said stands. This is actually one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard of, and to think that they're actually considering doing it disgusts me.

The words republic and democracy both have several meanings in political discussions. People seem to forget this. Look it up in Merriam-Webster. It is entirely possible for a republic to be a democracy. The simple fact is that the definitions of republic and democracy overlap.

I believe only in the last 30 years or so has anyone ever seriously argued that a republic is entirely separate from a democracy. That argument seems to hold a great appeal for some, but it is not consistent with the traditional use of the words.

You guys do realize that the basis for the internet was a project for the military, right? Look up DARPA for more info.

So was the jeep, hummer, some assault rifles and many other products we use today - doesn't matter. And the limitations set by this will be expanded. Just like the Patriot Act sections that were supposed to expire on December 31, 2005, but were magically reauthorized by bills in July 2005.