By Michael Geist
The push for new Internet surveillance capabilities goes back to 1999, when government officials began crafting proposals to institute new surveillance technologies within Canadian networks along with additional legal powers to access surveillance and subscriber information.
The so-called lawful access initiatives stalled in recent years, but earlier this month the government tabled its latest proposal with three bills that received only limited attention despite their potential to fundamentally reshape the Internet in Canada.
The bills contain a three-pronged approach focused on information disclosure, mandated surveillance technologies, and new police powers.
The first prong mandates the disclosure of Internet provider customer information without court oversight. Under current privacy laws, providers may voluntarily disclose customer information but are not required to do so.
The new system would require the disclosure of customer name, address, phone number, email address, Internet protocol address, and a series of device identification numbers.
While some of that information may seem relatively harmless, the ability to link it with other data will often open the door to a detailed profile about an identifiable person. Given its potential sensitivity, the decision to require disclosure without any oversight should raise concerns within the Canadian privacy community.
Stumble It!
If we really want to keep "government's" hands off the internet then we must contact our providers and tell them they are to go to Ottawa and bring this to an end. Because if they do not, then "we" will set a date to start a boycott and have "them" come and remove "their" hardwear from our property. ( WE ARE THE CONSUMER and WITHOUT US ...THEY ARE BROKE.
The out come of us disconecting from the internet will bankrupt these providers, imagine the havoc we will create ...do they really want to lose our business? If not , then they better warn "government" to keep their nosey little hands out of their private business.
Yes I enjoy the internet...but if it were to die tomorrow, I am sure I would get over it, wouldn't you? The key to ending this rest with us..the "CONSUMER".