VoIP wiretapping debate continues: FBI names some targets

You can't blame the FBI, it's their mission to fight crime as best they can and they see wiretapping--even Internet wiretapping--as an effective way to do that. Luckily in a democratic society, the people can debate whether or not they want to give law enforcement agencies certain tools to do their job. Where we draw the line at certain forms of interrogation as being extreme, we can also draw a line at where we think communications eavesdropping is too extreme.

No Jitter spotlights a Hill's Congress Blog post that stirs up the waters again on the FBI VoIP wiretapping debate. The debate is getting more heated as the FBI is pushing not just for wiretapping rights (which they already have) but to have a hand in forcing technology inventors to make their communications devices 'wiretap friendly.'

The latest news documents an FBI proposal that hasn't been released to the public yet. Of interest to us is that the FBI has specifically named examples of companies that would fit the bill for FBI input into their device design. Skype and RIM were on the top of the list of communication companies the law enforcement agency was interested in making sure were 'wiretap friendly." I am sure with Skype on the list, the rest of the VoIP technology ecosystem is also in their sights.

For more:
- read the post

Related news:
FBI urges FCC to protect VoIP wiretapping
New VoIP wiretapping rules a threat to the free market?