The key to “playing the game” when it comes to policies you disagree with isn’t to say “the representative/senator is wrong” or “the bill is a terrible idea” but to simply “voice your concerns” when it comes to the proposed bill. This was a lesson I learned very early on during my time as a Legislative and Constituent Services intern for the Indiana House of Representatives. That said, I have more than a few concerns regarding the bill proposed by Senator Abbott (R-TX). First, It is imperative for those put into positions of power to do what they can to protect their country from threats, both foreign and domestic. However, the proposed bill, while noble, may be misguided in its execution in its current form.
Our mission at the SETEC is to “keep the internet open, free, and safe,” and the proposed bill goes, not only, against the mission of the organization but also against the very core of the United States Constitution. The bill will make it as though the government is, seemingly, in control of the internet and its users. And this concerns me. Allowing the government to keep a “secret key,” which can access all communications had by citizens at any given time, is tearing apart Americans’ right to privacy. Moreover, the caveat that law enforcement will need to obtain a court order seems like nothing more than a formality that will likely be used and abused by those in power.
By requiring all telephones and Internet connections in the U.S. to be built with Zipper, the bill not only creates the possibility of Zipper creating a monopoly over encryption but also makes so if the very threats Senator Abbott is attempting to deter from spying on Americans are able to hack the Zipper program, they will have access to absolutely everything and everyone. Thus, contradicting the very purpose of the bill.
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