>infocalypse. Here's an excerpt from the hearing transcript (why weren't
>drug smugglers mentioned? someone's slipping).
I take that back. That scare story appears later on (keep reading)...
-Declan
KEVIN DIGREGORY, DEPUTY ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, DOJ
As we have seen throughout history, however, there are those who would use
powerful tools of progress to inflict harm upon others. The Internet has not
escaped, unfortunately, this historical truth. Even in the Internet's
relatively
short existence, we have seen a wide range of criminal use of this technology.
It has been used to commit traditional crimes against an ever-widening
number of
victims. There are also those criminals intent on attacking and disrupting
computers, computer networks, and the Internet itself. In short, although the
Internet provides unparalleled opportunities for Americans to freely express
ideas, it also provides a very effective means for ill- motivated persons to
breach the privacy and security of others.
...
Now despite the fervor over Carnivore, the truth of the matter is that
Carnivore is in reality a tool that helps us achieve this balance. To satisfy
our obligations to the public to enforce the laws and preserve public
safety, we
use the same sorts of investigative techniques and methods online as we do in
the physical world, with the same careful attention to the strict
constitutional
and legal limits that are imposed upon us.
Carnivore is simply an investigative tool that helps us to investigate
online, in the same way as in the physical world, and enables us to obtain only
the information we are authorized to obtain through a court order.
To illustrate, law enforcement often needs to find out from whom a drug
dealer, for instance, is buying his illegal products or to whom the drug dealer
is selling his goods. It is therefore important to determine with whom the drug
dealer is communicating. In the olden days of perhaps 10 years ago, the drug
dealer would have communicated with his supplier and customers exclusively
through the use of telephones and pagers. Law enforcement would obtain an order
from a court authorizing the installation of a trap and trace and a pen
register
device on the drug dealer's phone or pager. Now that same drug dealer or
kidnapper or a child pornographer may be just as likely to send an e-mail as to
call his confederates in today's world.
