ISPA Internet Week

Regulatory Session

The Regulation of Interception of Communications (RIC) Bill

12 September 2002

Tracy Cohen

RIC Bill: Context

• International – USA, Canada, UK, France, etc.– Council of Europe (COE) Cyber-crime Treaty

• Local – Review of security legislation– COE commitments– Draft 6: tabled 3 Sept; deliberations 12-13 Sept ‘02– Promulgation 2002?

• What is required of ISPs?

RIC Bill: Outline

• Prohibits unlawful surveillance and interception of communications except for law enforcement purposes

• Requires all telecoms systems and networks to be capable of surveillance

• Interception Directions (Chapter 3)– Requires telecom service providers to assist LEA in the

execution of direction (Chapter 4, s 28)

• Interception Centres • ISP Assistance Fund (s 38)• Offences – some new (Chapter 9)

ISPs Responsibilities (Chapters 4 & 5)

• Ensure and bear the costs of surveillance capability– ISP ‘small business’ exemption, but:

– Still possibly contribute to the Fund?

• Respond to interception and decryption directions– Routing duplicate signals of indirect communication

– Providing communication-related information to the authorities.

• Store communication related information (3 years)

• Obtain customer personal/commercial data prior to service

• Retain indefinitely and hand over to LEA on request

RIC Bill: Implications

• Privacy

• Costs

– compensation

• Ministerial discretion

• Lack of consultation

• Impact assessment studies?

• No annual public accounting