FITUG e.V. Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft

IP: Clinton comes after the Internet by Joseph Farah

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Date:          Mon, 9 Aug 1999 20:09:28 -0400
To:            cryptography@c2.net
From:          Robert Hettinga <rah@shipwright.com>
Subject:       IP: Clinton comes after the Internet by Joseph Farah


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Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 10:45:29 -0600
To: ignition-point@precision-d.com
From: Robert Huddleston <cabhop@highfiber.com>
Subject: IP: Clinton comes after the Internet by Joseph Farah
Sender: owner-ignition-point@precision-d.com
Reply-To: Robert Huddleston <cabhop@highfiber.com>


http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_btl/19990809_xcbtl_clinton_co.shtml
WorldNetDaily MONDAY AUGUST 09 1999 between the lines Joseph Farah
---------- WND Exclusive Commentary ---------- Clinton comes after the
Internet by Joseph Farah
  ----------

   Well, it was a long time coming, but Bill Clinton has finally made
   his
move on the Internet.

Late last week, when reporters and members of Congress were going home
for the weekend, he issued one of his now-famous executive orders --
this one on "Internet conduct."

Like almost all such orders, it will sound quite innocuous on a quick
first read. But these guys in the Clinton administration are clever.
This action sets up a working group of top U.S. officials to study the
whole concept of policing the Internet. No, Clinton doesn't use that
word, but that's clearly the intent of this order -- the establishment
of a national Internet police force.

But if you catch that much -- and few will -- then the wording of this
order is designed to make you relax because the working group is
simply going to write a report! We all know government reports don't
kill people, right? Nobody gets hurt by a government report unless
they drop it on you.

However, let's take a look at what's being studied here: No. 1 -- How
the federal government can insinuate itself into this revolutionary
new medium. And, No. 2 -- How new technology tools, capabilities or
legal authorities may be required for effective investigation and
prosecution.

Let me repeat that last purpose behind this working group and this
executive order in the actual language used by Clinton: "The extent to
which new technology tools, capabilities, or legal authorities may be
required for effective investigation and prosecution of unlawful
conduct that involves the use of the Internet."

Get it? "New technology" equals spying tools. "Capabilities" means
surveillance capabilities. And "legal authorities" means Internet
police.

You've got to understand the bureaucratic jargon here. Think of me as
your Clintonese translator. Remember, this is a man who questions what
the word "is" means. You've got to leave this to the professionals --
and that means me.

Now here's the other scary part of this executive order. Normally with
these task forces, the president allows a year or more for study and
reports. Not this time. Guess what his deadline is?

"The Working Group shall complete its work to the greatest extent
possible and present its report and recommendations to the President
and Vice President within 120 days of the date of this order," the
executive order states.

What! That means the report must be prepared before the end of the
year. I would suggest to you that this means the report is already
drafted. I would suggest further evidence for that conclusion is that
Clinton is also requiring the committee to circulate the report to
federal agencies well before it comes to the White House.

Why would he do that? Because the White House has already seen it. The
White House has written it.

Who's going to be a part of this working group? The chairman is Janet
Reno, and the members are most of the important Cabinet officers. Do
you really think those guys and gals could draft a report on policing
the Internet in less than 120 days?

Uh-uh.

Something's up here, folks. Something smells really foul.

Now what do you suppose is in that future report? Hillary once told us
the Internet needed gatekeepers and controls.

"We are all going to have to rethink how we deal with this, because
there are all these competing values," Hillary said last year. She
also deplored the fact that the Internet lacks "any kind of editing
function or gatekeeping function."

I think Clinton's about to make his move on our last best hope for
freedom -- the Internet. Methinks the Internet is about to get an
official editor or a government gatekeeper.


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-----------------
Robert A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44
Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve
respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the
world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon,
'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'