The Cybersecurity Act of 2009 may, if effected, "offer President Obama emergency control of the Internet and may give him a 'kill switch' to shut down online traffic by seizing private networks" (FNC). Originally, the wording of the bill would have given Obama power "'to essentially turn off the Internet in the case of a cyber-emergency,'" (FNC). An edited version was released Thursday, and "allows the president to 'declare a cybersecurity emergency' relating to 'non-governmental' computer networks and make a plan to respond to the danger . . . that rights experts worry would give the president 'amorphous powers' over private users" (FNC). The Cybersecurity Act "would centralize regulations for an industry that is too varied to fall under the control of a single set of rules without endangering the economy and security" (FNC).
Would someone please define a "cyber-emergency?" They compare this bill to Bush's grounding of all aircraft on September 11. In my opinion, taking control of private networks is nothing like grounding aircraft following a devastating terrorist attack. Perhaps it would be different in a cyber-emergency, but considering the fact that no one seems to know what that is in the first place, this just seems to be another power grab to me.
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