The Government’s Secret Plan to Shut Off Cellphones and the Internet, Explained

[Coyotl]

The Government’s Secret Plan to Shut Off Cellphones and the Internet, Explained
http://billmoyers.com/2013/11/27/the-governments-secret-plan-to-shut-off-cellphones-and-the-internet-explained/

This post first appeared at Mother Jones.

Update: The Electronic Privacy Information Center reports that the court just granted the government more time to decide whether to release the kill switch plan. It now has until January 13.

This month, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the Department of Homeland Security must make its plan to shut off the Internet and cellphone communications available to the American public. You, of course, may now be thinking: What plan?! Though President Barack Obama swiftly disapproved of ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak turning off the Internet in his country (to quell widespread civil disobedience) in 2011, the US government has the authority to do the same sort of thing, under a plan that was devised during the George W. Bush administration. Many details of the government’s controversial “kill switch” authority have been classified, such as the conditions under which it can be implemented and how the switch can be used. But thanks to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), DHS has to reveal those details by December 12 — or mount an appeal. (The smart betting is on an appeal, since DHS has fought to release this information so far.) Yet here’s what we do know about the government’s “kill switch” plan:

What is a kill switch? A kill switch refers to the government’s authority to disconnect commercial and private wireless networks — affecting both cellphones and the Internet — in the event of an emergency, such as a viable threat of a terrorist attack.

How does a kill switch work? There isn’t any kind of big red button the Obama administration can push to turn off the wireless networks in the United States. Instead, there are a few ways the federal government could exercise its power to shut down and restore Internet and cellphone service .........

[rhett o rick]

1. That capability could be a great tool for a coup. Just sayin.

To those of you that are more than willing to give up your Constitutional rights because Obama is president should think about the possibility that those controlling the kill switch might not favor Obama. I mean do you really trust Gen Clapper and Gen Alexander?

[mynaturalrights]

2. I'm trying to imagine a scenario where it would be useful to cut all communication

in the entire country in case of a terrorist attack?

I can't think of one

[TheKentuckian]

3. There isn't this is about controlling citizens. Terrorism is the easy cop out.

[hlthe2b]

4. The panic that would ensue would be far more dangerous than any scenario that might justify, IMO

And, that ignores my absolute horror that this is even being considered....

[mynaturalrights]

6. I agree

One thing I do believe as sure as I'm typing this is..

No current or future President of the United States will ever give up this power or powers like it.

The patriot act is a cancer that will grow.

[Coyotl]

5. All use of credit cards would stop. Like that's going to happen, right?

That would be terrorism

[ogradda]

7. Like I believe

they could make that work right out of the box anyway. They're so inept it would probably take a couple years at least.