Congress put the Cyber Security and American Cyber Competitiveness Act of 2011 in place to help secure the United States against cyber attacks (Internet attacks), to encourage the creation of American jobs and competition, and in the attempt to provide protectin to American citizens yet the nature of the Internet makes it almost impossible to enforce.
In the year 2009, Congress determined that cyber security must be a top issue for all governments at all levels as Americans’ privacy, civil liberties, national security and growth would be hindered if not protected from malicious people who use the gaps in Internet security and the nature of the Internet for their criminal acts. Members of Congress determined that cyber security issues are of top priority.
This led to the passing The Cyber Security and American Cyber Competitive of 2011. This Act’s goals and purposes are to make cyber space more secure and a safer place as the Internet is a major backbone for ways of conducting business and communicating. To encourage growth of the economy, protect people’s privacy, insure civil liberties, provide national security, and to not hinder democratic institutions are some other purposes of this bill.
Yet because of the very nature of the Internet with electronic data being so easily shared and the protection of private information not being enforced (if even possible to enforce), it is very difficult for this bill to be implemented. Even the government has required more information than before (such as the many debatable questions required for the last Census). Then all this information is converted to digital data and stored. However, as in the past even before pertinent information was required and stored digitally and electronically, there were major issues with the sharing and misuse of Census information in other countries.
That is just one example of how it is so difficult to enforce the Cyber Security and American Cyber Competitive Act of 2011. Another very tough barrier is the First Amendment which states that it is unconstitional for Congress to interfere with American citizen’s freedom of religion, speech, assembly, or petition. As the Internet is considered the mass form of communication, it has been, in many court cases, deemed to have the same protections as print publications, newspapers, books, magazines, and more.
We are placed between a rock and a hard place regarding this topic.
