President May Get Internet 'Kill Switch'

Thanks to a new law currently being proposed by the United States, President Obama may be able to have to power to shut down the internet with a big, figurative red button. Broadband providers, popular search engines, and various other aspects of the internet would be suspended and inaccessible during what would be considered a National crisis in which transactions and other information on the internet would be at risk.

Understandably, these details of the Cybersecurity Act have caused an uproar. Naysayers say that giving the President such an ability would be giving him too much control. It is, indeed, a frightening thought. In our completely technology dependent society, where our vital information is stored in the confines of cyberspace, the thought of it all completely being ripped from our grasp is enough to make someone very nervous.

However, more horrifying is the looming threat of a possible attack on these pockets of information. Senator Jay Rockefeller points out, "Our enemies are real. They are sophisticated, they are determined and they will not rest." It is possible that the next terror attack could be through the world wide web, something we as a community are completely dependent on.

The entire concept is definitely thought-provoking. On one hand, the idea that someone can control the internet is frightening. As we are so dependent on it, abuse of this power could lead to catastrophic things. But on the other hand, the notion that we need someone to control the internet in the first place, to protect us against other things, is equally disturbing.

The bill has not yet been approved, but until the decision is made, it will definitely be a topic of discussion.

SOURCES:
- Daily Mail
- FOXNews