IP Democracy: Appeals Court Upholds FCC VoIP Wiretap Order

In a blow to privacy groups and VoIP providers, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today upheld the FCC’s decision to apply wiretapping to VoIP providers. The Court concluded that the FCC made a “reasonable policy choice” in imposing CALEA (Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act) requirements on Internet-based voice providers even though the law that established CALEA specifically exempted “information services.” The FCC has long considered broadband Internet services “information services.”

Last Fall, a group, including EFF, the Center for Democracy and Technology and Pulver.com, appealed the Commission’s application of these requirements on nascent Internet voice providers. No word yet from Jeff Pulver, who is already in a funk over the shoot-down of the Markey net neutrality amendment. “I am too discouraged by the alleged pinnacle of democracy to say any more at the moment,” he wrote yesterday after the House vote.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on June 9, 2006 3:56 PM to IP Democracy