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The author of this blog, David T.S. Fraser, is a Canadian privacy lawyer who practices with the firm of McInnes Cooper. He is the author of the Physicians' Privacy Manual. He has a national and international practice advising corporations and individuals on matters related to Canadian privacy laws.

For full contact information and a brief bio, please see David's profile.

Please note that I am only able to provide legal advice to clients. I am not able to provide free legal advice. Any unsolicited information sent to David Fraser cannot be considered to be solicitor-client privileged.

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The views expressed herein are solely the author's and should not be attributed to his employer or clients. Any postings on legal issues are provided as a public service, and do not constitute solicitation or provision of legal advice. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained herein or linked to. Nothing herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent counsel.

This web site is presented for informational purposes only. These materials do not constitute legal advice and do not create a solicitor-client relationship between you and David T.S. Fraser. If you are seeking specific advice related to Canadian privacy law or PIPEDA, contact the author, David T.S. Fraser.

Thursday, October 20, 2005

Internet bugging may dictate technolgies and call-routing for VoIP services

While Canadians are fretting over lawful access, our friends south of the border are dealing with the second generation, or rather an extension of the rules begun with the Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act. CALEA, as it is called, required telecommunications companies to build-in wiretapping capabilities. A recent set of rules published by the Federal Communications Commission extends that wiretapability requirement to VoIP providers. Any company that provides a service that connects calls to or from the traditional phone system is required to provide central bugging features for law enforcement.

Wired News is asking where that leaves VoIP companies that use a peer-to-peer model. These providers don't route calls centrally so there is no easy place to intercept the calls. And the rules apply to all calls on the system, not just those that go to or from traditional switches. According to the regs, that's no excuse.

This may be a case where law enforcement access requirements will be dictating the technology that a company can use. Read more: Wired News: Furor Grows Over Internet Bugging.

Labels: information breaches, lawful access