Law in the Information Society

The following comment from the CEO of a Canadian ISP is reported in Globetechnology in relation to proposals to require ISPs to develop the facility to provide police with access to Internet information. He states: "Under the current recommendations, the ISP would become responsible for maintaining the technology and monitoring e-mails when asked — essentially becoming an arm of a law enforcement agency. This is a task that an ISP should not have to burden, and will certainly raise concerns with customers and businesses as to who is really monitoring their personal and sensitive business correspondence, and why — as a result of higher monthly fees — they should pay to have it monitored."

In light of the disucssion in class today about R. v. Weir, this initiative demonstrates the willingness and desire to more fully embrace the ISPs as partners in law enforcement intitiatives. Are the benefits of so doing worth the costs?