Lieberman and the Off Switch

Original Source: http://www.boingboing.net/2011/01/28/egypt-just-turned-of.html

So I found a couple of my facebook friends referring to this lovely little story. Once I finished reading it and some of the comments, I just sort of tilted my head in amazement. So Egypt shut off the internet. Awesome, that's perfectly fine for them. A country that has the same land mass of one U.S. state. The U.S is the third largest country in the world population-wise. Compared with Egypt whose rank is the 15th. They're a not 'small country' by any means but the U.S. whose population density is less by far is spread throughout 3,539,224 sq miles.

When internet came along in the U.S. it reinvented socialization in such a way that families were able to spread farther apart and still keep a well formed unit. The same can be said for businesses. Huge mega corporations and even small business rely on the internet for connection to suppliers and customers. Internet based companies like amazon and ebay would flounder almost immediately if a "total internet shut down" were to occur.

Now, considering the "cyber threat" that would have to occur to require such an action. The worst thing that could happen to the internet would be some sort of global virus which would phish information. But ultimately, to do so it would probably have to shut off internet connections any how. That's if something of the sort would even be possible at such a massive scale. It seems like the work of science fiction, but I wouldn't put it past someone who is hell bent on cyber terrorism.

I'm quite sure that this Bill that Lieberman is proposing won't have a chance in hell in legislation. One: because the Senate and House of Reps are now controlled by republicans. Whom, are going to be very 'pro-business' and 'small government,' when viewing this bill. Two: because I doubt there will be anyway that Americans would approve of the government being able to shut down the internet 'indefinitely.' It has become a staple of everyday life in every aspect of our livelihood.

Sure it is a nice thought, like one commenter pointed out (sarcastically), to go back to the days of letters and libraries but I really don't think the bill has a chance in hell of passing.

I'm still not sure what a "cyber-threat" would be composed of exactly or what would constitute one. I can think of numerous youtube videos whose makers could be "threatening" to overthrow the government with their complaining. Zeitgeist and Wikileaks any one?

I just don't think that this plan was thought through well enough.