COMMENTARY | We can all now breathe a sigh of relief: We no longer need to fear the evil hacker who downloads the latest Hollywood movie release or recent copy of "Call of Duty."
The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, or CISPA, sponsored by representatives Mike Rogers, R-Mich., and Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., made its way through the House of Representatives on Thursday.
What is interesting about this bill is the statement of its proponent:
"You know, without our ideas, without our innovation that countries like China are stealing every single day, we will cease to be a great nation," Rogers said. "They are slowly and silently and quickly stealing the value and prosperity of America."
This man deliberately points a finger at China and countries "like them." All the while, the last 30 years have been spent systematically destroying from within our nation's production capacity, by shipping jobs overseas, namely to China.
Why would the Chinese be heralded as such a security threat when most companies that set up business there must disclose proprietary information ?
Even without an official proclamation, it sure seems relevant to consider that manufacturing facilities in China (primarily government-sponsored) may choose to reverse-engineer that which they feel compelled to duplicate, considering it is right under their nose.
This bill seems more of an attempt to control a marketplace than to institute "cyber-intelligence."
One is left confused as to what is considered theft and what is sharing. It was not that long ago when the music industry was turned upside down by the likes of Napster. The digital age means digital sharing is here. Unfortunately, the primarily shared material may just be your personal information.
How is sharing a movie via digital connection any different than borrowing a neighbor's hammer? If one likes the hammer, they will choose to purchase their own.
This act seems to attempt to prevent that which it cannot. Representing the 500-pound gorilla, the government, on behalf of the almighty Corporation, has passed legislation with the intention to stop illegal downloads.
Unfortunately, I feel its success will equal that of the U.S.-Mexico wall designed, apparently, to stop illegal immigration.
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