Report: Obama administration seeks to make it easier to wiretap Internet and e-mail services

Report: US seeks to ease Internet wiretaps

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration wants to make it easier for the government to eavesdrop on Internet and e-mail communications like social networking Web sites and BlackBerries.

The New York Times reports Monday that the White House plans to submit a bill next year that would require all online services that enable communications to be technically equipped to comply with a wiretap order. That would include providers of encrypted e-mail, such as BlackBerry, networking sites like Facebook and direct communication services like Skype.

Federal law enforcement and national security officials say new regulations are needed because terrorists and criminals are increasingly giving up their phones to communicate online.