[wordup] NZ: Fact sheet on Government plans for e-mail snooping and computer hacking on the public

[Adam Shand]

Nothing good comes from this.  Please lets have NZ learn from the 
stupidity that the USA has committed post 911.

Adam.

From: http://www.greens.org.nz/searchdocs/other4819.html
More: http://www.greens.org.nz/campaigns/sis/

Fact sheet on Government plans for e-mail snooping and computer hacking 
on the public
Keith Locke MP, Green Party Security and Intelligence spokesperson
31st March 2001

What’s the Government doing?

The Government has introduced a Supplementary Order Paper 85 (SOP 85) 
to the Crimes Amendment Bill (No 6). The purpose of this bill is to 
increase state surveillance powers. It is a first step towards allowing 
massive interception of electronic communications by our security and 
intelligence organisations. The Law and Order Select Committee are 
currently examining the SOP, and will begin hearing public submissions 
soon. The Committee must report back to Parliament by May 31, 2001.

What does this SOP do?

•	Makes illegal both computer hacking and interception of electronic 
communications (emails, faxes and pager messages).
•	Allows the Police, Security Intelligence Service (SIS) and Government 
Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) to intercept electronic 
communications and hack into computers (subject to certain procedures 
and conditions). This means giving powers to intercept phone calls, 
faxes and emails through wide scale trawling of electronic 
communications. This would be the worst step towards a surveillance 
society that New Zealand has ever seen.

What has been the general response from the public?

Most people support hacking and interception being illegal, but there 
is significant concern in the community about giving the police, SIS 
and GCSB these powers.

What are the Government's main arguments for giving these powers to 
police, SIS and GCSB?

• 	That criminals communicate electronically, and these powers will 
enable them to catch more criminals.
• 	That we are just extending to these agencies the powers they already 
have to open letters and tap telephones.

What are the arguments against giving these powers?

• 	These powers are a major intrusion on people's privacy, which 
outweighs the benefit of catching more criminals.
• 	There is no proof that many more criminals will be caught.
• 	Criminals can easily evade the system by using untraceable email 
addresses (eg hotmail addresses), encryption, words that hide their 
criminal intent, and re-routing systems that don't go through normal 
internet service providers.
• 	The police and intelligence service powers can be misused, as they 
have been in the past. The interceptions can be used by the authorities 
for economic spying or political spying on dissenters.
• 	Computer technology is such that electronic interception can take 
place on a vastly greater scale than mail or telephone interception.
• 	The ease with which serious criminals can evade being intercepted 
tends to lead to massive driftnet systems where millions of 
communications are trawled for "key words", such as the FBI's planned 
Carnivore system in the United States. This results in the interception 
of the communications of thousands people who innocently used those key 
words.
• 	Because people receive emails from many people and organisations, 
the targetting of any one person or organisation will automatically 
mean that the emails of many innocent people and organisations will be 
intercepted.
• 	Hacking into people's computers will be a major intrusion of their 
privacy, because a variety of personal information is contained on 
their computer.
• 	A major reason for this legislation being introduced is not whether 
New Zealand needs it, but pressure from US agencies like the FBI and 
National Security Agency for New Zealand to fall into line with them.
• 	If the proposed legislation becomes law New Zealand Internet Service 
Providers would be at a competition disadvantage, as businesses move 
their virtual operation to a country free from the threat of economic 
spying.

How will the interception take place

The government won't say, but says this will be determined in a later 
bill, amending the Telecommunications Act. How can we really know the 
implications of the SOP 85 if we don't know the means the police and 
intelligence agencies will be authorised to use?

How adequate are the controls on the powers to intercept?

Police and the SIS have to obtain interception warrants. However, the 
warrants can be quite broad in their application and cover a class of 
people. The controls on police and SIS surveillance are far from 
adequate, as shown by the recent successful law suits by two 
dissenters, Aziz Choudry against the SIS, and David Small against the 
police.

The Government Communications Security Bureau is not restrained by 
warrant, or even comprehensive legislation governing its activities.

What are some of the benefits to our computer systems remaining 
surveillance-free?

• 	The privacy of people and organisations.
• 	Less restraint on dissenting views being exchanged via email and the 
internet.
• 	More profitable e-commerce with less spying on firms and their 
customers. We should not undermine the “knowledge economy” with fears 
of electronic spying.
• 	Not placing on internet service providers the burden of compliance 
costs in enabling police and intelligence agency to conduct the 
interception of messages.

What can I do?

Write to the Leaders of the political parties AND your local MP
Write to Rt Hon Helen Clark, Hon Richard Prebble, Hon Jenny Shipley, 
Hon Winston Peters, and Hon Jim Anderton. Urge them not to support this 
legislation. Note that the Alliance, National and ACT parties have 
already expressed doubts about the proposed legislation.
Writing to MPs via snail mail: Parliament Buildings, Wellington. No 
stamp required.
or email using format: firstname.lastname at parliament.govt.nz (eg. 
Keith.Locke at parliament.govt.nz)
Write to the Law and Order Select Committee members
Write directly to the MPs on the Committee to let them know what you 
think about this proposed legislation. Members of the Committee members 
are Taito Phillip Field, Hon Parekura Horomia, Janet Mackey 
(Chairperson), Ron Mark, Brian Neeson, Jill Pettis, Simon Power, Hon 
Ken Shirley, Tony Steel and Hon Judith Tizard.
Help to get signatures on the petition against this legislation!
A petition against the SOP has been organised – help to get signatures 
on the petition and let other people know about the Government’s plans 
to invade your privacy! You can get copies of the petition from:
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand National Office
Ph 04 801 5102 or Fax 04 801 5104
Email greenparty at greens.org.nz
Auckland Office
Ph 09 377 0149 or Fax 09 377 6413
Email keithandnandor at xtra.co.nz
Website: http://www.greens.org.nz/campaigns/sis/snoop_petition.htm