FBI eyes online evidence

The Huffington Post.

However, some groups are saying such actions have the potential to threaten online privacy, security and innovation.

Naming advances in Web-based e-mail, social networking sites or peer-to-peer services, FBI general counsel Valerie Caproni appeared before Congress to discuss the increasing difficulties the agency has had in corralling electronic communications for ongoing cases.

According to the Voice of Russia, the main problem is the reduction in authorities' ability to conduct quick wiretaps in the era of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, iPhones and iPads while the same new technologies present considerable advantages to criminals.

Meanwhile, CNet reports the FBI as saying it's not calling for restrictions on encryption without back doors for law enforcement.

"No one's suggesting that Congress should re-enter the encryption battles of the late 1990s," Caproni said. There's no need to "talk about encryption keys, escrowed keys, and the like - that's not what this is all about."

Instead, she said, discussions should focus on requiring that communication providers and Web sites have legally mandated procedures to divulge unencrypted data in their possession.