You really don't have a clue, do you? I work for one of those "telecom" companies and this is only saying that the company can't be sued for following the orders of the government. (In addition to increasing the government's ability to get information. But they do that already!)

Outside of that, do you really know what kind of information we can garner from "electronic eavesdropping?"

I work these systems as an engineer and what we get is just amazing.

When you answer your home phone, and have DSL, we hear every word of BOTH sides of the conversations, IN ADDITION, (because of your DSL,) we see everything displayed on your computer screen, every letter you type, every mouse click you make, all sync'd with the conversation. The old statement of "This call MAY be recorded..." is no longer true. This call IS recorded. EVERY time! With perfect detail.

There are other systems I can't talk about, but be aware that when you use your phone, ANY phone, there is an easy and undetectable way to listen in.

Oh, and that old, "Keep him on the line for 3 minutes so we can trace the call." That's bull too. We know immediately where the call originated from. Go ahead and block your name or other information from coming through when you call someone. We don't care, because we strip it off and see it. I can't tell you how many times customers call and freak out because we know who they are. "But I blocked my information!" "Who do you think designed the equipment you're using?"

In Britan, if you say to someone, "I think my phone is bugged." They'll reply, quite matter of factly, "Of course it is! They all are!" For some reason, in the US, we find that offensive.

My solution? I don't own a cell phone. I only access the net from where I work. I don't use my home phone, unless to answer or call the wife. And the most important thing you can do? Don't put yourself in a situation that ends up making you look like you have something to hide!

Wow Xark! I was about to post exactly what you posted in your first paragraph. It's just plain common sense. Anyone voting against this is voting to put people in a no-win situation. Comply with the government and you get sued. Don't comply with the government, and you go to jail. What kind of nimrod congressman would vote this sort of way?

I fully understand that the telecom companies have all of the technology and do monitor our every move. My problem is with them sharing this information with the federal government. As I hinted at in my first post, just because the president says it's legal does not mean it is. We are a nation of laws. I believe there were companies that refused to comply.

England is a different matter. They do not even have a Bill of Rights.

You can dispute me on this, but someone needs to be held accountable for this administration's warrantless wire tapping. If it isn't going to be them, it will be their accomplices.

Exactly! We are a nation of laws. Like it or not, electronic surveillance is enacted law. If these nimrods vote to prevent companies from being exempt from lawsuits, then they are putting american citizens into a no-win situation. If they comply with the law, they get sued, if they don't comply with the law, they go to jail.

i think it sounds like a great idea...... for me to poop on......

Hey! I'm not defending this in the least! I'm just relating a LITTLE of what I know about how phonelines and networks can be used against you if that's the chosen course of action. Being on the inside, I know what to do to avoid this. I passed most of that on to you. (Some things I am restricted from saying.) Remember, I don't own a telecom company, I'm just a little ant on the hill.

So now it's in the open, sort of. This ability we have is nothing new. I've been working these systems for 15 years and they were around before I started.

All I'm saying is that because an article was printed about it, everyone is all of the sudden "up in arms." Personally, I'm "up in arms" because this has been going on a LOT longer than any of you suspect. I'm just supplying facts. If you have a complaint, please register it with Mr. Bush. No one here is going to solve a thing.

Oh, and if you want to blame someone, you need to blame MY employer. If not for Bell Labs, we would have no digital recording capability and doing what we do would be impossible if it were still analog. Then again... Without digital recording and lasers and transistors, you wouldn't be listening to CD's, or watching DVD's. Both things that can keep you off the phone!

my point in all of this is it's ridiculous to put private citizens into such a no-win situation. there are two courses of action, allow the surveillance act to expire, or vote to make companies exempt from lawsuits. But it's moronic to allow the surveillance act to continue AND allow telecoms companies to be exposed to lawsuits for complying with the law. And this is the current state of affairs and the subject of the article. any congressman who would vote this down is a nimrod!

Actually, this is nothing in comparrison to the GPS in your car...

Did you know that it also collects data? Like the speed you drive. Where you go. When you go. Nice features for a parent wanting to know what their kid's doing. Is he speeding? Is she getting to school on time? Where are they going after school? BUT... This data can be sold, if you're not careful. And who wants it? Your insurance company! Now they can "adjust" your rates even if you don't get speeding tickets, just because you tend to drive faster than most. OR, they can charge you more because you said you only drive 15 miles a day and now they know you're a liar!

There is one plus... That idiot cop who says you were going 60 in a 45. You have no recourse. There is no proof. It's only his word against yours. UNLESS... You have GPS data that shows you WEREN'T going that fast.

The good of something is ALWAYS balanced by the bad. Hence, the presence of SATAN on our site. It just wouldn't be right if we didn't have the dark side represented.