Posted on 05/04/2006 1:52:17 PM PDT by ritewingwarrior
update WASHINGTON--Broadband providers and Internet phone companies will have to pick up the tab for the cost of building in mandatory wiretap access for police surveillance, federal regulators ruled Wednesday.
The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to levy what likely will amount to wiretapping taxes on companies, municipalities and universities, saying it would create an incentive for them to keep costs down and that it was necessary to fight the war on terror. Universities have estimated their cost to be about $7 billion.
"The first obligation is...the safety of the people," said FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, a Democrat. "This commission supports efforts to protect the public safety and homeland security of the United States and its people."
Federal police agencies have spent years lobbying for mandatory backdoors for easy surveillance, saying "criminals, terrorists and spies" could cloak their Internet communications with impunity unless centralized wiretapping hubs become mandatory. Last year, the FCC set a deadline of May 14, 2007, for compliance. But universities, libraries and some technology companies have filed suit against the agency, and arguments before a federal court are scheduled for Friday.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.com ...
Just one more unfunded federal demandate.
I'll watch out for my own safety if the government will only allow me.
>>"The first obligation is...the safety of the people," said FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, a Democrat. "This commission supports efforts to protect the public safety and homeland security of the United States and its people."<<
Tax the people to allowing spying on the people.... one thing both parties can agree on.
Yeh it does. Once they figure out how to pass taxation emails it will all be over. The gov salivates over all the internet traffic and how they can get their hands on it. They are all jealous that Al Gore makes all those patent royalties!!
Who gave the FCC power to levy taxes?
No. The first obligation is the rights of the people. The government is granted power so that it can protect individual rights, not so that it can violate them. Fred's right to safety does not entitle him to violate Jane's right to property--socialist theory notwithstanding.
That was my thought too.
Can you say 'Taxation without Representation'?
Hmmmmm... I remember a little 'party' in Boston for just this reason.
Maybe it's time to spill some tea in a harbor. Or send some teabags to the FCC and your Congresscritters.
The first oligation is to chisel more money out of taxpayers without their representation. Time for a tea party anyone?
Who gave the FCC power to levy taxes?
Who gave unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats the power to write law?
Not just cable rates...what about your monthly/yearly ISP subscription fee? I guess we'll now have to pay an FCC tax on our ISP subscriptions, as cable subscribers do that already. So I guess they finally found a way to tax internet access.
" Or send some teabags to the FCC and your Congresscritters."
Yeah. But knowing them,they wouldn't understand the significance of it and they'd probably just brew it!
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