[clee1]

The feds can already eavesdrop on any electronic commerce they care to. They OWN the backbone....

I agree with you: this won't help the Feds at all and will be a tremendous boon for the criminals.

[dila813]

If I wanted to steal identities, this is where I would attack.

I could steal every identity in the United States.

[konaice]

The feds can already eavesdrop on any electronic commerce they care to. They OWN the backbone....

Actually, that's not true, and hasn't been since 1985.

The backbone (as you so quaintly put it) is composed of high speed circuits owned and operated by huge telle-com companies, little telephone companies, and private parties.

Some parts are owned by other governments, the British, Canadian, etc manage the tell-co in their respective countries.