Will Carnivore devour online privacy?

Author

Sobel, David L.

Author_Institution

Electron. Privacy Inf. Center, Washington, DC, USA

Volume

34

Issue

5

fYear

2001

fDate

5/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

87

Lastpage

88

Abstract

In February 2001, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) renamed its controversial Internet surveillance tool, Carnivore, as the innocuous-sounding “DCS1000”. Although the move is sensible from a public relations perspective, more than the system´s name must change to protect innocent Internet users´ rights. According to the FBI, Carnivore (as everyone outside the Bureau still calls it) allows law enforcement agents to intercept and collect e-mail and other electronic communications only when authorized by a court order. What is so controversial about Carnivore, and why has it provoked strong negative reactions from privacy advocates, editorial boards and members of the US Congress? The answers lie in how the system works and who controls it

Keywords

Internet; data privacy; electronic mail; surveillance; Carnivore; DCS1000; FBI; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Internet surveillance tool; Internet user rights; authorization; court orders; electronic communications interception; electronic mail; law enforcement agents; negative reactions; online privacy; public relations; Computer displays; Ethernet networks; Information filtering; Information filters; Internet; Law enforcement; Privacy; Surveillance; Telecommunication traffic; Telephony;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Computer

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9162

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/2.920616

Filename

920616