Obama signs order outlining emergency Internet control

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57469950-93/obama-signs-order-outlining-emergency-internet-control/

By Dara Kerr
CNET News
July 10, 2012

President Barack Obama signed an executive order last week that could 
give the U.S. government control over the Internet.

With the wordy title "Assignment of National Security and Emergency 
Preparedness Communications Functions," this order was designed to 
empower certain governmental agencies with control over 
telecommunications and the Web during natural disasters and security 
emergencies.

Here's the rationale behind the order:

  The Federal Government must have the ability to communicate at all
  times and under all circumstances to carry out its most critical and
  time sensitive missions. Survivable, resilient, enduring, and
  effective communications, both domestic and international, are
  essential to enable the executive branch to communicate within
  itself and with: the legislative and judicial branches; State,
  local, territorial, and tribal governments; private sector entities;
  and the public, allies, and other nations. Such communications must
  be possible under all circumstances to ensure national security,
  effectively manage emergencies, and improve national resilience.

According to The Verge, critics of the order are concerned with Section 
5.2, which is a lengthy part outlining how telecommunications and the 
Internet are controlled. It states that the Secretary of Homeland 
Security will "oversee the development, testing, implementation, and 
sustainment" of national security and emergency preparedness measures on 
all systems, including private "non-military communications networks." 
According to The Verge, critics say this gives Obama the on/off switch 
to the Web.

[...]


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