Cyber Attack on Liberty
Sam Aurelius Milam III
Recently,
I've seen several news interviews with people who claim to be well acquainted
with the workings of the internet. They claim that everything that
I do on the internet is traceable back to me. If that's true, then
the cyber attacks launched against Yahoo, eBay, and the likes, during the
second week of February pose a puzzling question. Why can't the FBI
locate the perpetrators? There might be several reasons, but there's
one possibility that I haven't heard suggested on the news. Maybe
the FBI doesn't want to locate the perpetrators. Maybe the attacks
were launched from sources within the U.S. government.
Why
would the U.S. government do such a thing? Isn't that exactly the
question that everybody's been asking about the unknown perpetrators anyway?
However, in the case of the U.S. government, the question almost answers
itself. For years, people have been required to get licenses to drive
a car, own a business, get a job, get married, own a dog. The government,
at one level or another, requires licenses for everybody from airline pilots
to contractors. The government licenses broadcasters and publishers.
For years, individuals have been required to get a license to participate
in amateur radio. There's even a license for the so-called Citizen's
Band. By now, the motive of the hypothetical government perpetrators
of the attacks should be obvious. You don't need a license to use
the internet. I expect that there are people who would like to change
that.
Why
hasn't the government enacted a licensing requirement before now? So far,
people haven't been ready to sacrifice their liberty in favor of security
in the use of the internet, as they've done in everything else. In
that regard, the U.S. government has promoted a constant stream of propaganda
concerning the threat of cyber terrorism to "national security", the threats
to your privacy, the threats to your children, the threats of illegal and
"substandard" prescription drugs, the treats of unregulated overseas purchases,
all posed by unscrupulous users of the unregulated internet. The
recent cyber attacks sure look to me like another piece of a well orchestrated
campaign, and it seems to be working. The people are getting "ready".
Even the "industry" is wavering. It takes me right back to the 60's
and the stupid airline hijackings to Cuba. Incredible as they seemed
even then, they nevertheless resulted in an airport surveillance gestapo
that continues even today to increase its power and intrusiveness.
See Watching Big Brother Watch You, on page 2.
Whether
or not the government actually launched the attacks is probably irrelevant.
The result is likely to be the same in either case — a new licensing requirement.
Imagine, if you can, that you don't have a right to use the internet any
more. Suppose that instead you have to go downtown first, and get
a license. Remember, a license is permission. If you need permission
to use the internet, then it isn't a right. It's a privilege
It might seem unlikely now, but I can remember a time when seat belts and
auto insurance were voluntary. If the logistics appear daunting,
just consider the number of people that are licensed as drivers.
Licensing internet users is well within the abilities of government and,
given the international nature of the internet, it's an ideal opportunity
to create an international licensing agency. All the pieces are being
carefully put in place, one by one. Even the new built-in location
capability that will soon be required for cell phones fits the scenario.
That is, if the enforcers can find your phone, anywhere in the world, then
you won't be able to illegally sneak into the internet with a cell phone.
Some kind of internet licensing requirement seems at least possible.
The excuse is being provided and the people might be just stupid enough
to go for it.![10x5 Page Background GIF Image](../../Images/10x5_Page_Background.gif)
Frontiersman@ida.net |
Frontiersman,
479 E. 700 N., Firth, Idaho 83236
Also see The Pharos Connection at http://www.ida.net/users/pharos/ |
March 2000
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