For many years, individuals who have communicated over communications networks made available by the Internet have communicated in complete privacy. Traditionally, only hackers were a threat to the privacy of individuals who communicated in this virtual space. Today though, there are greater threats on the horizon. The U. S. Government is actually attempting to tread the ground only hackers have gone before. Their Internet wiretapping will be the death of Internet privacy as we know it today.
Historically, the public has always known that someone might be listening to their conversations while they use telephones. The government has not really done a great job in hiding the fact that they monitor activity on landlines. Instead, public officials have always been rather brash with their promotion of wiretapping activities.
Most public officials have always state that the intrusion of privacy that results from wiretapping policies is done to protect citizens from the threats of enemies. These officials have also felt that no limitations can ever be placed on a program that is designed to better protect the citizens of the country too.
Even though government officials can extend their authority to practically any corner of the world they want just by saying their actions are being done in the name of public good, they are facing real world roadblocks that they cannot overcome with words. These roadblocks are technical limitations. Communication networks have gotten so good at protecting the private information of their customers, that they can't even see what their customers are transmitting over the Internet today.
The government wants to intrude on the privacy of average citizens in the name of protecting them, but they cannot, because the networks that host these communications are encrypted for the user's protection. Some government officials say this is a problem that must be overcome, because they think the enemies of the U. S. Are communicating with each other by using these technologies.
The task of gaining access to this encrypted information is not a simple task by any means though. This task would require that communication companies develop new offices, departments, and technologies to intercept the encrypted data being transmitted. The process of developing these systems can be incredibly costly and can limit the capabilities of communication providers.
Today, tech gurus and many individuals who work in the IT security industry are stating that the process of opening back doors on these networks will expose everyone to undue security risks. Not only that, there are many people who see the task of securing a network to be impossible if the government can just access any of the information being sent across the network whenever they want.
If these back doors are opened, customers who highly value their privacy may find the services they need elsewhere. These networks provide perfect security to their clients today, but if the government has their way, the lack of security communications companies can provide their customers with will likely lead to their downfall.
Since consumers can no longer trust the promises their communication providers make about security, and communication companies are likely going to be facing exponentially rising costs when it comes to securing their networks and giving intercept capabilities to governments, it is likely that Internet wiretapping will be the death of Internet privacy. Luckily, consumers will always have access to freeware and other programs that are developed by people and organizations that can never truly be limited by the stringent restrictions government organizations love to place on communication channels.
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