The administration is asking for new powers enabling government to monitor your Blackberry communications -- your internet communications in general.
Essentially, officials want Congress to require all services that enable communications — including encrypted e-mail transmitters like BlackBerry, social networking Web sites like Facebook and software that allows direct “peer to peer” messaging like Skype — to be technically capable of complying if served with a wiretap order. The mandate would include being able to intercept and unscramble encrypted messages.
This would likely be adopted by other governments internationally. In terms of our privacy, "they basically want to turn back the clock and make Internet services function the way that the telephone system used to function," according to James Dempsey at the Center for Democracy and Technology.
Surveillance over digital devices began in 1994. Sixteen years later, government will extend its reach to include devices not available then.
Communications services that encrypt messages must have a way to unscramble them.
Foreign-based providers that do business inside the United States must install a domestic office capable of performing intercepts.
Developers of software that enables peer-to-peer communication must redesign their service to allow interception. ...NYT
All of which makes it easier for hackers -- private, not governmental intruders -- to intercept our communications.
