Left Side of the Aisle #104 - Part 4

Good news #4: White House threatens to veto CISPA

Finally, a bit of technology good news: The White House has issued a veto threat against CISPA, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act. The bill allows for sharing of data - potentially including personal data - between private corporations and government agencies.

The bill died in the Senate last year over privacy concerns, but was dragged from the grave this year like a zombie. This version has some token improvements but the objections to the bill still stand, particularly its broad definition of what kind of data can be shared among the government and private businesses.

In a statement, the White House said the administration

remains concerned that the bill does not require private entities to take reasonable steps to remove irrelevant personal information when sending cybersecurity data to the government or other private sector entities

and that

citizens have a right to know that corporations will be held accountable - and not granted immunity - for failing to safeguard personal information adequately.

Rep. Mike Rogers, the bill's chief sponsor in the House, has dismissed opponents of his bill as teenagers in their basements - but among the opponents are not only the White House but the ACLU and other civil liberties organizations, Facebook, and Microsoft.

The bill will likely pass the House so let's hope the Amazing Mr. O's spine is stiffer than usual in this case.

Sources:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/04/16/with-cispa-vote-looming-the-white-house-threatens-veto-again/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/16/mike-rogers-cispa_n_3097027.html