In incredible news breaking in the US over the weekend, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has made an application to the Federal Communications Commission requesting easy access to all forms of Internet communication, including Microsoft’s Xbox Live and online PlayStation 2 servers.
If the request is granted, all US-based Internet Service Providers will have to make radical changes to their systems in order to accommodate a backdoor listening post for FBI agents.
The request includes all forms of digital online communication, from instant messenger services to voiceover IP communications, and mentions gaming services such as Xbox Live.
"The importance and the urgency of this task cannot be overstated," says the proposal, which is co-sponsored by both the U.S. Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration. "The ability of federal, state and local law enforcement to carry out critical electronic surveillance is being compromised today."
However, this raises the point of how many arrests per day would come from tapping into the Microsoft gaming service. The constant stream of abuse, coupled with the endless threats of violent reprisals, may be too much for the US law agency to handle. Is it illegal to threaten the safety of someone's family over the outcome of a Project Gotham 2 race?
We’ll find out soon enough...
If the request is granted, all US-based Internet Service Providers will have to make radical changes to their systems in order to accommodate a backdoor listening post for FBI agents.
The request includes all forms of digital online communication, from instant messenger services to voiceover IP communications, and mentions gaming services such as Xbox Live.
"The importance and the urgency of this task cannot be overstated," says the proposal, which is co-sponsored by both the U.S. Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration. "The ability of federal, state and local law enforcement to carry out critical electronic surveillance is being compromised today."
However, this raises the point of how many arrests per day would come from tapping into the Microsoft gaming service. The constant stream of abuse, coupled with the endless threats of violent reprisals, may be too much for the US law agency to handle. Is it illegal to threaten the safety of someone's family over the outcome of a Project Gotham 2 race?
We’ll find out soon enough...
Companies:
Microsoft
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Comments
Funky 5 Apr 2004 12:05
1/15
It would be kinda hilarious to have the feds busting your door down because you cheated at SOCOM, then file charges for "improper digital entertainment abuse".
Joji 5 Apr 2004 13:21
2/15
Here we go. A few steps closer to Big Brothers' gaze upon us all. I wonder what they'd give you for beating american gamers at Counter Strike on Xbox Live?
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Stryfe01 5 Apr 2004 17:16
3/15
Hilarious it would not be. Though guys your team is way late on this news. It was filed weeks ago as reported by an Xbox fan site. Stop playing catch up and give us some of that juicy gossip you procure.
Pandaman 6 Apr 2004 00:20
4/15
Man...remind me never to play an online GTA game.
chanus 6 Apr 2004 01:35
5/15
Alright, excuse me if I'm wrong, but if your an American citizen, shouldn't this "new program" violate our Privacy Act as stated in our constitution?
Namiller01 6 Apr 2004 02:21
6/15
BULL F**KING S**T... That won't last long...
They are no better than a dictatorship of Sadamm Hussain, Castro or Stallin in Russia.
I think its time to fight. and fight hard. STOP THEM...
They are no better than a dictatorship of Sadamm Hussain, Castro or Stallin in Russia.
I think its time to fight. and fight hard. STOP THEM...
TigerUppercut 6 Apr 2004 15:47
7/15
>They are no better than a dictatorship of Sadamm
>Hussain, Castro or Stallin in Russia.
Except they all had some level of support from somewhere...
>Hussain, Castro or Stallin in Russia.
Except they all had some level of support from somewhere...
cubedman990 8 Apr 2004 19:34
8/15
shut up u little f**ker
u have no idea what our country is going through. if u had over 3000 people killed in ONE day, how would you feel? i think the feds have every right to tap into it, cuz terrorists may use a counter-strike server to talk over plans....such as planting the bomb here or whatnot. the feds r smart enough to know real from fake
u have no idea what our country is going through. if u had over 3000 people killed in ONE day, how would you feel? i think the feds have every right to tap into it, cuz terrorists may use a counter-strike server to talk over plans....such as planting the bomb here or whatnot. the feds r smart enough to know real from fake
robrymond 8 Apr 2004 21:56
9/15
Please, who discusses illegal stuff over Xbox Live?
I doubt anyone, so why bother?
I doubt anyone, so why bother?
Althea90 9 Apr 2004 16:52
10/15
Yet another step closer to fascism.
PilotoftheUSA 10 Apr 2004 18:59
11/15
I can not see how this will help any. I think its more to combat cyber crime, child porno, illegal use of software...etc But I think its a good thing. It will make hackers and others think twice about trying to attack somone. Not only that but offer more jobs to the US citizens.
SPInGSPOnG 11 Apr 2004 09:21
12/15
PilotoftheUSA wrote:
>...etc But I think its a good
>thing. It will make hackers and others think
>twice about trying to attack somone. Not only
>that but offer more jobs to the US citizens.
Oh c'mon dude. How will it offer more jobs to US citiziens? You mean the jobs of spying on one another?
Because all the other jobs are going to India... and you know what? Even the spying ones will too if someone doesn't put a stop to it.
The large corporations conned our goventments into opening up the borders to global free trade based on two main points - huge emerging markets overseas, which would in turn lead to huge profits and huge taxes to the governments who opened the borders.
But once the borders were open, those same companies moved their headquarters to Bermuda (or wherever), so they don't have to pay any tax and moved the work to Thailand, so thay hardly have to pay any wages.
The reason we all pay more tax and get less for it is because corporations, which historically shouldered some of the tax burden, are now avoiding paying taxes. And they are so big and so powerful that the western governments dare not do anything about it. But they really ought to turn around and say "If you don't want to pay our taxes, you can do without our markets." New companies would flourish without the crushing monopolistic competition from these multi-nationals, and they'd fail without access to rich western markets.
>...etc But I think its a good
>thing. It will make hackers and others think
>twice about trying to attack somone. Not only
>that but offer more jobs to the US citizens.
Oh c'mon dude. How will it offer more jobs to US citiziens? You mean the jobs of spying on one another?
Because all the other jobs are going to India... and you know what? Even the spying ones will too if someone doesn't put a stop to it.
The large corporations conned our goventments into opening up the borders to global free trade based on two main points - huge emerging markets overseas, which would in turn lead to huge profits and huge taxes to the governments who opened the borders.
But once the borders were open, those same companies moved their headquarters to Bermuda (or wherever), so they don't have to pay any tax and moved the work to Thailand, so thay hardly have to pay any wages.
The reason we all pay more tax and get less for it is because corporations, which historically shouldered some of the tax burden, are now avoiding paying taxes. And they are so big and so powerful that the western governments dare not do anything about it. But they really ought to turn around and say "If you don't want to pay our taxes, you can do without our markets." New companies would flourish without the crushing monopolistic competition from these multi-nationals, and they'd fail without access to rich western markets.
dave 7 Jun 2010 12:12
13/15
well they soon will be able to just walk into your house and search it for no reson, their goes that constitution they keep changing to fit their needs and wants.
Malcolm 18 Feb 2012 16:41
14/15
good as i will kill all that work for xbox about abusing kids for protection money making them have accounts selling on there data for abuse so good as i will kill all in the usa as you are scum protecting them
fbi 18 Jul 2012 07:13
15/15
@Malcolm lol loser