Obama Urged To Protect Cyberspace

American officials are calling for President -elect Barack Obama to set up a governing body to legislate against the dangers of the internet.

We've already heard of Europol's Five Year Plan and Australia's Four Year Plan, now America looks likely to join the throng, as government advisors call for a "national office for cyberspace."

The report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies says that the Department of Homeland Security is unable to deal with the threat alone, so it's calling for a new White House Office, revised laws and government practices.

The report states "America's failure to protect cyberspace is one of the most urgent national security problems facing the new administration that will take office in January 2009. It is a battle fought mainly in the shadows. It is a battle we are losing."

"Dubya" Bush put the Department of Homeland Security in charge of tackling cyberspace, but it's admitted it's not up to the task.

There's also the problem that the Department of Homeland Security only applies to America itself, whilst the report shows that a large amount of cyber-terrorism comes from abroad.

Worryingly, one of Obama's earliest actions as president, the commission recommends, should be to make a statement declaring cyberspace a "vital national asset" that will be protected by "all instruments of national power".

You have to wonder who they're going to get to moderate the internet, though. Perhaps Al Gore, as he did invent the thing.

Source:Zdnet