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Politicians blame file sharing for inept civil servants

25 July 2007 9:38 by Rich "vurbal" Fiscus | 12 comments

Henry Waxman, chairman of the House of Representatives' Government Reform Committee, characterized peer to peer file sharing networks as national security threats. The comments were made during a hearing about the technology, which was apparently used to share classified documents.

He also said that he is considering laws to address the problem, but didn't give any details as to what those laws might entail.

The comments seem to contradict the testimony of Mary Koelbel Engle, the associate director for advertising practices in the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection. She said her agency has found in its studies of peer-to-peer network use that risks to sensitive information "stem largely from how individuals use the technology rather than being inherent in the technology itself."

Daniel Mintz, chief information officer for the Department of Transportation, also testified, saying that the key to preventing such incidents is "to make sure we're really pushing the policy," which requires written authorization for installation of P2P programs on government machines.

There was no mention of manilla envelope, briefcase, or automobile manufacturers, despite these technologies all being used for the unauthorized distribution of classified documents in the past.

Politicians with a limited understanding of the technology they're determined to regulate is nothing new. Less than 2 weeks ago Ted Stevens, Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, called the internet a "series of tubes", adding that an internet was sent to him by his staff, but it's delivery was delayed "because it got tangled up with all these things going on the Internet commercially."

While comments like these are amusing on their face, the fact that Stevens' position as committee chair may be a deciding factor in the so called net neutrality debate in the US may be cause for concern.

Source: CNet News

Permalink to this article

Pirate Act makes yet another appearance in the U.S. Senate (10 November 2007)

Government oversight committee goes after P2P again (17 October 2007)

Azureus hits 7 million subscribers with Vuze (10 August 2007)

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Discuss this article!
windsong (Junior Member) 25 July 2007 14:39
Oh how he'd love to stick a chip in everyone's ass to track.. [ + quote]
hughjars (Inactive) 25 July 2007 16:18
How badly out-of-touch do these old farts have to get before they just quit trying to pretend they know what they are going on about? It's getting beyond laughable. [ + quote]
TilGuy714 (Newbie) 25 July 2007 16:24
Their ought to be a law against ignorant lawmakers [ + quote]
mspurloc (Member) 25 July 2007 17:54
"Ferret-Face" Waxman strikes again. Eastern liberal politicians are all such fascists. [ + quote]
cousinkix (Newbie) 26 July 2007 3:43
Henry Waxman is from LOS ANGELES. He is bought and paid for by the RIAA/MPAA mafia and HOLLYWOOD elites. That goes for just about every member of the US Cingress who comes from the Land of Fruits and Nuts that we call Kalifornia. Ted Stevens is from Uncle Sam's Ice Box. Most of Alaska is remote rugged territory inhabitted by few people. They know more about shooting their big guns and hunting whales; than they'll ever know about the internet, once you leave the confines of a few major cities up there... [ + quote]
emugamer (Member) 26 July 2007 8:34
Air is a security threat. Al-Qaeda uses it to breath. Let's do some serious legislating on the uses of air. Can we do without it?? :-P [ + quote]
lamain (Newbie) 26 July 2007 8:44
*Quote:* They know more about shooting their big guns and hunting whales; than they'll ever know about the internet, once you leave the confines of a few major cities up there... Hey now be nice. I live in Alaska and even outside one of the few major cites. please talk about what you know. [ + quote]
blackvamp (Senior Member) 26 July 2007 9:02
Omg, people can use internet to send classified stuff! Let's turn it off. [ + quote]
mspurloc (Member) 26 July 2007 10:29
So I guess our western liberals are just as fascist as the eastern ones are. That's depressing. Make your case with facts. Don't attack individuals, including me. Speak to me in logic, not emotion. Because if you shout, I won't listen. ---Me [ + quote]
ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 26 July 2007 12:02
SO let me get this right since the police/FBI cant raid people over file sharing without a warrant or anything its thier fault theya re not stopping it.....holy fck people we hit a new low.....don't tell Bush&co they will amend the law further to protect us form the terrorist file shearers rolls eyes . [ + quote]
spydah (Junior Member) 26 July 2007 16:14
So let me get this, I guess the internet is the new weapon of mass destruction & all of us that use if are the terrorist controlling the helm. Why do people vote these idiots in office. Congress aint nothing but money puppets. You flash some cash and now you know something you really dont. These kinds of things are only spoofs to keep people look at everything but whats really going on. Its what we like to call ummmm the ole bait and switch move. As long as they keep the right people looking at the wrong thing they will never really know what going on. [ + quote]
borhan9 (AfterDawn Addict) 26 July 2007 16:30
By the sounds of things these pollies know what they are talking about. I love this. *Quote:* Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, called the internet a "series of tubes", adding that an internet was sent to him by his staff, but it's delivery was delayed "because it got tangled up with all these things going on the Internet commercially." Well done!!! :D These are the types of brains we have running the countries around the world. [ + quote]