Easier Internet Wiretaps Sought

From the Washington Post:

Law enforcement agencies have been increasingly concerned that fast-growing telephone service over the Internet could be a way for terrorists and criminals to evade surveillance. But the petition also moves beyond Internet telephony, leading several technology experts and privacy advocates yesterday to warn that many types of online communication, including instant messages and visits to Web sites, could be covered.

The proposal by the Justice Department, the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration could require extensive retooling of existing broadband networks and could impose significant costs, the experts said. Privacy advocates also argue that there are not enough safeguards to prevent the government from intercepting data from innocent users.

This sounds like today's bad idea. Apart from considerations of privacy and civil liberties, will the sort of changes necessary to enable government wiretaps also render networks more susceptible to malicious attacks? And to top it all off, they want consumers to bear the burden of these changes.