Seriously? Hawaii wants all your web browsing history
According to an article on CNET, Hawaii’s Legislature is slated to discuss a bill which would require ISPs to keep track of your browsing history for 2 years. Reading the bill, the term ISP is so broad that anyone providing a wireless access point would be required to log this history. Also, there is no provision for due process, encryption or any other safeguards on this information.
The bill is so shortsighted and simplistic that it really highlights the ignorance of our politicians on matters of the Internet…let alone our Constitution.
This doesn’t just affect Hawaii, as internet companies located outside of Hawaii, but who provide services there, are impacted. I would urge everyone to take action and e-mail the the main sponsor of the bill, John Mizuno, as well as Kym Pine, the minority leader who allegedly is the source for the idea. Respectfully ask them to withdraw such harmful litigation which would unduly burden internet companies and grossly violate our privacy.
John Mizuno’s Info:
Kym Pine’s Info:
6 Comments on "Seriously? Hawaii wants all your web browsing history"
I realize it is a terrible thing to say about this site given the wonderful things it is doing for us, but every time I read this, I get depressed and disgusted.
These are the rights and freedoms I bled for… that I believe in and spent years of my life defending.
The very same people who petition for me to go to war to defend these freedoms are the people who are taking them away…
That is a very good observation. This site would become depressing if it just focused on issues and the threats to gaming and the Internet. I think we’ll need to look at other topics as well, such as advocating for the hobby or e-Sports and have a balance of positive articles to go along with the calls for action.
Please, PLEASE don’t take any comment I made as against LFG’s activities. Rather I only mean to voice my disgust with the current situation we all face in Washington and locally with our state governments.
I salute LFG instead as it fights domestically for the very same principles I bled for overseas. LFG is keeping my home safe from tyranny. How can I possibly argue with those results and sentiments?
I do agree that the site would benefit from some positive, or general community support/news as well, but this is only a secondary factor. To my understanding, LFG primarily exists to lobby and support the ethical interests of our community, which will by default generate a lot of bad news that requires action.
If that is necessary, War is an ugly business… but it is necessary, and we must endeavor to fight tooth and nail for what many of us have indeed bled and died for.
I would hope that this site doesn’t take on too broad a segment of the issues. There are any number of possible internet freedom issues to take aim at, this particular legislation seems to be more of a matter of the right to privacy in the general internet ecosystem as opposed to something that you will have gamers (and specifically gamers) united behind you in support.
I’m not saying that opposing this isn’t a good thing, people have a right to privacy and that is clearly being trampled in this proposed legislation. What makes it a fight to be taken up by a gaming advocacy group?
Respectfully,
Quango
That’s a good question. It’s a challenging one as well.
It is an unfortunate truth that those in power who would happily stamp us out of existence outnumber those in power who would have our backs for the justice of it over their own political agenda.
I have a different sentiment, though I do definitely understand your view. A famous General once stated that one must pick and choose their battles, yes.
But this does not mean that an attack, even a small one, should go unanswered.
Rather it is a means of commitment to your forces. You do not deploy your entire armed forces into a battle you know beyond any shadow of doubt you cannot win. You are better spending those resources where they would do the most good. In that, you are correct.
However, as in any war, you never leave land that has been captured from you, territory that was once yours, in enemy hands. Even if you lose that battle or must withdraw, eventually your aspiration, and your actions dictate that you re-capture that territory.
Ultimately in the end, that is where the idea, “lose the battle, win the war” stems. Everything lost would be regained in that sense.
Should LFG focus efforts as opposed to a broad defense? That depends on LFG’s resources at the time. Something is to be said about a level of conviction and strength, however.
When is defending our rights and freedoms not worth the wasted resources? At what point is it considered a lost battle? What line is drawn when the war is either won or lost?
These questions likely would take a lifetime to answer and will change, grow, and develop just as LFG’s community does.