Debate Over Internet Backdoors Heats Up in Congress and in Court

“Two hearings tomorrow—one in court and one in
Congress—will highlight the brewing debate over whether
Congress should expand federal surveillance laws to force Internet
communications service providers like Facebook, Google and Skype to
build technical backdoors into their systems to enable government
wiretapping.

“• First, at 10:00 AM EST on Capitol Hill, the House
Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing entitled “Going Dark:
Lawful Electronic Surveillance in the Face of New Technologies”,
where law enforcement representatives are expected to make their
case for expanded Internet wiretapping capabilities.

“• Then, at 1:30 PST in San Francisco, EFF Staff Attorney
Jennifer Lynch will argue in federal court for an end to the
government’s stalling on the release of documents about the
government’s Internet surveillance plan that EFF is seeking under
the Freedom of Information Act.”

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