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Called a "kill switch" bill, it will let the president (on grounds of national security) shut down the Internet, disconnect its networks, and force web sites, blogs, providers, search engines and software companies to "immediately comply with any (Department of Homeland Security) emergency measure or action," or face fines or closure.
It will also establish a National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications (NCCC) to monitor the "security status" of US private web sites, blogs, ISPs, other net-related businesses, and critical global online operations, and require companies using the Internet and other "information infrastructure" to be "subject to (NCCC) command," saying:
"The owner or operator of covered critical infrastructure shall comply with any emergency measure or action developed by (NCCC's) Director (a czar)," ones remaining in place for 30 days, but can be extended monthly up to 120 days, after which continuance would depend on congressional approval.
In an introductory press release, Lieberman said:
"Our economic security, national security and public safety are now all at risk from new kinds of enemies - cyber-warriors, cyber-spies, cyber-terrorists and cyber-criminals. The need for this legislation is obvious and urgent."
What's needed is truth and full disclosure, not bogus terrorist threats hiding a sinister purpose - subverting democratic freedoms in times of economic and social upheaval, hard line repression planned in response.
On June 23, in a letter to Lieberman, Collins and Carper, the following organizations raised serious civil liberties concerns:
-- the ACLU
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