Big Brother, Coming Soon to the Canadian Internet (if no one stops it)

Story dated 07 March 2005

Canada's federal government has a proposal called the "lawful access" initiative. "If lawful access becomes reality, Canada's telecommunications service providers (TSPs) will be required to refit their networks to allow for real-time interception of communications, to have the capability of simultaneously intercepting multiple transmissions, and to provide detailed subscriber information to law enforcement authorities without a court order within 72 hours. Moreover, Canada's service providers will be subject to inspections and required to provide the government with reports on the technical capabilities of their networks. These activities will be shrouded in secrecy with service providers facing fines of up to $500,000 or sentences of up to five years in jail for failing to keep the data collection confidential." So, not only would Canada require companies to make it possible for them to monitor you, but they would also make it illegal for them to tell you that you are being monitored. Wonderful.

It also turns out that Canadian "network providers themselves may seek to interfere with the free flow of data." For example, certain providers are seeking to block Voice-over-IP (VoIP), which, in a sense, is free flow, uncontrolled information in its purest form. It seems they want to control and monitor the flow of information as well.

We need to pay attention, folks. If we don't speak up whenever governments or corporations want to collect information about us and control the information we exchange, we may soon find ourselves living in an Orwellian surveillance society.

posted by The Sovereign Editor | 11:31 AM

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