"Friends,
Here it comes: After months of secret negotiations with the players who pushed SOPA, the major Internet Service Providers on the verge of implementing their "Six Strikes" plan to fight "online infringement". With essentially no due process, AT&T, Cablevision Systems, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Verizon will get on your case if you're accused of violating intellectual property rights -- and eventually even interfere with your ability to access the Internet. (You can contest accusations -- if you fork over $35.)"
"I appreciate the time you took to express your thoughts about cybersecurity. Like you, I am concerned about the potential use of the Internet and telecommunications technology to cause harm to the nation's economic and security interests.
Similar to other national security challenges in the post-9/11 era, cyber threats are multi-faceted and lack clearly defined boundaries. The source of cyber intrusions is often difficult to determine, but recent reports indicate that many of these attacks or espionage activities may be sponsored by foreign governments. In light of these findings, we have a responsibility to protect critical networks while we protect civil liberties and individual privacy.
Last Congress, in an effort to protect proprietary information stored on domestic cyber networks, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3523, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA). I supported this legislation because it gave U.S. businesses the support they need to better protect their customers and networks from a cyber attack, and included provisions to ensure that the private information of American citizens would remain private. This legislation also would have helped to defend our nation's computer networks by making it easier for the federal government and approved U.S. companies to share information about cyber threats and attacks. The 112th Congress ended before the Senate took action on this legislation.
Should future legislation concerning cybersecurity come to the floor of the Senate for a vote, I will be sure to keep your thoughts in mind.
It is a privilege to represent you and all Hoosiers in the U.S. Senate. Your continued correspondence is welcome and helps me to better represent our state. I encourage you to write, call, or email if my office can ever be of assistance."