Government Seeks To Access Web Users’ Private Data

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that would allow the government to access your private data on the “suspicion” of a “cyber threat.”

The bill passed the house on Thursday 248-168.  While the bill, the “Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA)” passed the house by a wide margin the US Senate is expected to take up an entirely different internet security bill.  President Obama has threatened to veto CISPA.

The White House released a statement that said the bill would revoke “important provisions of electronic surveillance law without instituting corresponding privacy, confidentiality and civil liberties safeguards.”

The bill’s sponsor, US Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) said the bill would make the nation safer and protect the economy from foreign cyber criminals.  The American Civil Liberties Union countered claiming once the government installs broad national security power there’s no going back.  Advocacy groups claim the bill is aimed at people who share files on the internet rather than hackers.

While previous bills such as the Stop Online Piracy Act were stopped after outcry from tech leaders, CISPA found support from major companies like Facebook, AT&T, Verizon and Microsoft.

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