Higher Education Coalition Comments on Extending Wiretap Law to Internet Providers
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Sources(s): EDUCAUSE Policy Office
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Abstract
EDUCAUSE, along with 15 other education and library organizations has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the recently proposed rulemaking regarding the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). While supporting the need for law enforcement to have access to communications under proper legal conditions, the Coalition rejects the FCC attempt to extend CALEA to include broadband Internet access and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol).
The Coalition's comments argue two basic points:
(1) the CALEA statute as currently written does not apply to broadband Internet access or to information services, and that only Congress has the power to rewrite CALEA; and
(2) if CALEA is extended to include broadband Internet access and VoIP, then Coalition members need to be clearly and specifically exempted from this obligation.