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Government

Sen. Bond Disses Internet 'Kill Switch' Bill 171

Posted by kdawson from the clean-neat-simple-quick dept.
GovTechGuy writes "Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) has introduced his own cybersecurity legislation with Sen. Orrin Hatch, and he had some harsh words for a competing bill sponsored by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security. Bond said that bill, which has been criticized for allegedly giving the president a 'kill switch' over the Internet, weighs down the private sector with mandates and puts too much on the plate of the already overburdened Department of Homeland Security. Sen. Bond's bill would create a new position in the Pentagon, reporting directly to the president, in charge of coordinating all civilian cybersecurity. Any private-sector involvement would be voluntary and free from legal challenge, rather than mandated."
The Military

Marine Corps Wants a Throwable Robot 270

Posted by samzenpus from the goblin-bomb-dispenser dept.
coondoggie writes "The US Marine Corps has a request — build and rapidly deploy more 10lb-or-under robots its personnel can throw into dangerous situations that can quickly gather information without endangering Marines. The throwable robot is part of a family of robots that would range from the 10lb version to one that would act as a central controlling device and weigh close to 300lbs. Marine commanders are demanding ever lighter robots so that troops don't have to offload critical equipment from their rucksacks to accommodate them."
The Internet

'Awful' Internet Rules Released 106

Posted by timothy from the do-your-wuerst dept.
maximus1 writes "NetChoice, a trade group that identifies and fights threats aimed at online communities and e-commerce, released iAWFUL, a list of America's 10 worst legislative and regulatory proposals targeted at the Internet. At the top of the list is a Maine law that would require e-commerce sites to get parental approval before collecting minors' personal information. According to the NetChoice site, 'lawmakers approved the measure despite the fact that Web sites have no means to confirm such consent, and would be effectively forced to stop providing valuable services like college information, test prep services, and class rings.' Coming in second on the iAWFUL list is a city ordinance that would hit Internet users with an extra tax on hotel rooms. Scheduled to take effect in September, the new tax is aimed at consumers who use the Internet to bargain hunt for expensive NYC hotel rooms."

Comment Re:How on earth... (Score 1) 299

by KingKiki217 (#29045047) Attached to: Database Error Costs Social Security Victims $500M

That being said... I'm amazed at how many people think there's some huge government conspiracy out to get them when they can't get simple stuff like this right. Sure, they can listen in on all cell phone calls... but they can't keep a list properly?

Do you really want to be in such a database when they incorrectly flag people as felons in this one, a database not built to sift for any indication of criminal behavior?

The Washington Posts reports that the Social Security Administration has agreed to pay more than $500 million in back benefits to more than 80,000 recipients whose benefits were unfairly denied after they were flagged by a federal computer program designed to catch serious criminals.

How would you feel about the phone database or the Folsom Street secret room if they released numbers like this for the false positives there? Incompetence doesn't make the action not evil, and in cases like these, it can compound the offense.

Comment Re:"Linking People to Information?" (Score 1) 410

by KingKiki217 (#27621825) Attached to: Swedish Pirate Party Gains 3000 Members In 7 Hours
It seems to me that they're not selling a whole package. You need to already have your own gun, the client, and you get the ammo from your peers in the swarm when they fire it at you (okay, so the analogy is a little stretched at this point). The only thing you're getting from TPB is directions as to where to point your bit torrent client.

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