The White House wants to tap the Internet

Are you ready for the next round of possible government-inspired Internet security measures?

Well, get prepared, because there is big talk and even bigger plans under way regarding Internet security.

It was reported in the Sept. 27 edition of The New York Times that the White House is hard at work creating legislation that will broaden the scope of the current wiretap authority to infiltrate and intercept our Facebook, BlackBerry and Skype communications without prior knowledge or consent.

The proposed legislation would also include an agenda that will give law enforcement and security officials increased ease in being able to infiltrate and eavesdrop on your online chatter as well.

Don't be alarmed, as the proposed legislation is not expected to be presented to Congress before next year and we all know just how long it can take, before a decision is made on anything in Congress.

You can bet there will be hearing after hearing, filibusters and a host of other objections during the process.

This proposed legislation is being seen as an Obama administration-sponsored bill, which for all intents and purposes would appear to be true since it is coming out of the White House.

One of the unsettling and most prominent aspects of the pending legislation, if passed and enacted, will demand that every Internet-based communication service reset its internal protocols to be technically capable of adhering to the federal wiretap order to include the ability to intercept and unscramble encrypted messages.

The overall scope of this legislation has incredible implications, as it may seem to be a means of releasing the proverbial hounds of hell on an unsuspecting population, in that it will equip our government with the power to listen in on every communication that is made online.

Of course, given the times that we live in and the relentless pursuers of anarchy, terrorism and the destruction of anything and anyone that does not have a shared belief, in their opinion, philosophy, political persuasion or religion, this new legislation may not be such a bad thing.

Yet, there is always that overwhelming, sinking feeling that Big Brother is waiting, watching and listening, as well as the distinct possibility that those in the administration, intelligence community or any other entity with access to and permission to use this legislation having ill intentions could use it for all the wrong reasons and exact untold invasions of privacy.

What of the government officials working on this new legislation? Who are they and how are they attempting to define who the Internet communications providers are and what the criterion is that the government will use to move forward in exacting the new legislation on their choice of who constitutes a qualified, in their opinion, provider?

And what about the providers of Internet communications services, what are their thoughts on this new legislation?

How will the new legislation affect the realm of wireless technology, specifically the smartphone?

Make sure you're on board, next week, as we will look at these questions and attempt to provide answers accordingly.

- Andino Ward