VoIP Snooping | US Government to Listen In

The US FCC has ordered broadband providers and VoIP providers to enable their servers to be monitored for law enforcement purposes. This law is part of the Governments on going CALEA program or Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement.

The full details of the new order can be found here (PDF). The new orders will enable law enforcements agencies including the CIA, Police and FBI to monitor voice and text conversation through VoIP and Broadband services. All providers are required to provide the technology within their system to enable monitoring.

The FCC states that this will "ensure that Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) have all of the resources that CALEA authorizes to combat crime and support homeland security, particularly with regard to facilities-based broadband Internet access providers and interconnected voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) providers."

Despite the advantages to fighting illegal activity many people will feel insecure and see this new order as an invasion of privacy and Government snooping. People will also feel uneasy that if their broadband connection and VoIP connection can allow monitoring by Law Enforcement Agencies then it is also open to illegal hacks.