Stop the "Cyber" Bills

Don't let Congress fool you: cybersecurity bills aren't about "information sharing," they're about surveillance.

This year the House and Senate passed CISPA-like "information sharing" bills to stop computer security threats. But the bills—like the Senate Intelligence Committee's "Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act"(CISA) and House Intelligence Committee's Protecting Cyber Networks Act—grant companies broad legal immunity to spy on users and share that information with the NSA.

The bills ignore reality: experts can already share technical information to stop threats without sharing unrelated personal information. And some experts even say the bills may not help computer security.

Right now the Senate and House are reconciling the differences of the bills for a final passage this week. That's why it's important to tweet to one of the lead negotiators—Rep. Mike McCaul of the Homeland Security Committee—and ask him to stand up for privacy. Will you join us?