A recent article about BlackBerry security has highlighted a bill proposed by Liberal MP Marlene Jennings has me concerned for both RIM and other smartphone manufacturers in Canada. The bill will force internet and wireless providers to use technology that can be tapped.
This past winter, Jennings re-tabled a 2005 Liberal bill that would force wireless service providers to make their devices intercept-ready. The bill, the Modernization of Investigative Techniques Act (MITA), had died when the 2006 election was called, but Jennings had re-introduced it as a private member’s bill once before, in 2007.
Univeristy of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist explains exactly why this bill frightens me. Legitimate customers might be reluctant to use mobile email devices if they knew their communications could be intercepted. Enterprise relies on secure data in order to protect their intellectual property and Marlene Jannings’ bill threatens this security.
“There’s obviously many businesses that are willing to use these devices because they’re comfortable with the security attached to them,” said Geist, who holds a Canada Research Chair of internet and e-commerce law.
If this bill also concerns you, you can contact Liberal MP Marlene Jennings through her site here.
[Via]
