Posted on 01/17/2009 6:04:23 PM PST by Sub-Driver
n W.H., Obama staff will say cu l8r 2 im By: Ben Smith January 17, 2009 08:24 PM EST
Barack Obama may get to keep his Blackberry, but David Axelrod is losing his IM.
The lawyers broke the bad news to Obama aides at a briefing Friday morning convened by incoming Deputy White House Counsel Cassandra Butts: Not only are they leaving the modern world to enter a White House where some of the clunky desktop computers still run Windows 2000 butworst of allthey'll be forced to surrender form of communication staffers have relied on for the last two years to communicate with each other, outside allies, and the press.
From Axelrod, the chief campaign strategist, down to junior staffers in the press office, Obama's campaign relied heavily on software many of them began using in high schoolAOL Instant Message and Google Chat. Instant messaging, though little mentioned, isperhaps as much as emaildeeply woven into contemporary politics and media, whose fabric is the constant, quick, gossipy transmission of spin and information. But a calculus that's perhaps one part security, one part law, and two parts politics, has long barred instant messaging from the White House.
"They just told us flat out we couldn't IM in the White House," groused one senior staffer Friday.
"It sucks. It's really going to slow us down," complained another, saying that lawyers had warned that, along with Instant Messaging, White House software will restrict users to a range of sites roughly "like your average grade school."
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
IM is so unsecure it’s not even funny. It doesn’t matter, they are going to be giving are secrets out anyway so just let them keep their toys.
are = our
I have a Blackberry, too, Zero. So what?
ICUP. STFU. KMA. ESAD.
They should install an encrypted Jabber server for internal network use, only, and set it up to centrally log all of the messages and chats. That way they can use it for official business but know that everything is automatically logged. We used IM extensively for work at my last job that way and the self-documenting nature of it was excellent. And while people did some joking around, especially late at night, it was used for business and people knew that.
Ditto to all and BFD!!!
A big pile of illiteracy. Do some editing, please.
say cu l8r 2 im?
LOL. What you said.
Anything that will slow down their march to marxism sounds good to me.
If we had a real Justice Department, they would have the subpoenas already drafted and be waiting outside the telecom shops. Hopefully, Blago’s lawyers are already seeking the pre-presidential records.
However, you can bet that the other side gets Bambi’s IM’s before the intended recipient.
Documentation is what has to be avoided. That's more important to Obama's lawyers than security.
Oh, absolutely. It’s great when you have nothing to hide. When you have something to hide, not so much.
We are becoming a nation of Peter Pans. Almost no one wants to grow and even fewer want to be men.
Love Jabber!
If you know this one, your old.
LOL! I ‘get’ the last one...I think. Usually I see it as ‘QFMFT’. I may be wrong.....but I AM old....by ‘interbutt standards’. ;)
What and arrogant SOB.
They should learm secure voice commo and one time pads. There is no high tech that cannot be hacked.
uh...I know what is means! Thanks for the reminder that I'm older than dirt!!!
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