Recently, there has been talk of a proposed bill in Congress which could give the White House the authority to control the internet in the event of an emergency.  Bill S.773, also called the Cybersecurity Act of 2009, introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Sen. Olympia Snow (R-ME), presents the potential for a sort of internet martial law.  One of the biggest criticisms of the bill is the apparent vagueness of the language (gosh, when has that ever been a problem for Congress?) and the extent, duration, and exact qualities of the seizure of powers.  It seems to step on the idea of private property; the government’s bureaucracy can choose to set standards for software for any privately owned critical infrastructure.

Those in support of the bill point toward the fact that in the event of a cyber Pearl Harbor or 9/11, the government would be able to seize control and maintain internet (and economic) stability.  It’s almost like the bill’s proponents all recently saw Live Free or Die Hard and want to avoid the possibility of a fire sale happening like in the movie.  But I think the bigger point here is this: why on Earth would I want the federal government writing a bill on internet security, when most of the leaders in Congress (old white men) confess that they don’t know how to use email?