| 3.23.22

Cyber Intelligence Sharing: Keeping America Safe or the Biggest of Brothers? (H.R. 234)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 234?

(Updated March 23, 2018)

H.R. 624 would allow — in the event of a cyber attack — technology/manufacturing companies and the federal government to share and exchange Internet traffic information. This exchange of information would be voluntary, as the bill does not require or compel companies to give it up.

For example, if the government detects a cyber attack that might take down a site like Google or Twitter, they could let those companies know. On the other hand, those companies could inform the government if they spot any activity that might suggest a cyber attack on their networks.

The stated aim of this bill is to help the U.S. investigate cyber threats and protect networks against cyber attacks.

Argument in favor

Improves cyber security in both the public and private sectors. Fosters better communication between public and private sectors and creates an effective means of detecting and dealing with cyber threats.

Argument opposed

Creates an Orwellian police state where nearly all modes of communication can be legally surveilled by the government. Opens deep privacy concerns around data sharing between the pubic and private sectors.

Impact

EVERYONE who uses the Internet, the government's access to internet traffic information, companies that collect online user data.

Cost of H.R. 234

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable. However, an estimate performed in 2013 on a previous (almost identical) version of CISPA found that implementing the bill would have a discretionary cost of $20 million between 2014-2018.

Additional Info

Of Note:

Two almost identical versions of this bill have been introduced into previous sessions of Congress — once as H.R. 3523 in 2011 and again in 2013 as H.R. 624. The legislation has passed in one chamber or the other, but never made it to the President's desk.

Many of the bill's supporters argue that CISPA is necessary to safeguard the U.S. against cyber threats. As a press release from Sponsoring Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) notes:

"This bill is a vital first step toward providing better protection for the networks and systems that Americans depend on every day."

Opponents of CISPA argue that the vague wording in the bill gives companies the unrestricted power to hand over private information to the government. One critic noted:

"New provisions were added to the bill. They claimed to “limit” the government’s authority granted in the bill, but all the new items say are that privacy protection can be circumvented for “investigation and prosecution of cybersecurity crime, protection of individuals, and protection of children.” So as long as the government can claim that any of those three issues are at stake, anyone and everyone’s personal information can be delivered directly to them, effectively nullifying privacy on the web."