Online Eavesdropping Proposal

 The Obama admistration is currently working on legislation that will make it easier for the United States to "wiretap the Internet".  In reading numerous articles found on this issue the strategy that is used to present this to the audience is through an argument that is attempting to establish the structure of reality.  As we learned in class this past week this argument falls basically into two broad types:  (1) argumentation by example, illustration, and model; and (2) argumentation by analogy. These arguments use metaphor, analogy, and hypothetical situations to establish the order of reality and to persuade the audience to accept that order.

The perceived audience would be a "universal audience" which is considered to be the largest possible audience which has the need to hear or agree with the rhetor's message.

The proposed bill that will very likely come before the Congress next year is a bill that would require all Internet based communication services to comply with a federal wiretap order.  This would also include being able to Intercept and unscramble encrypted type messages from Social networking sites like Facebook, and peer to peer messaging like Skype. The government is seeking control over Internet wiretapping because extremists or terrorists are more likely to chat online than use telephones because there is nothing currently in place to wiretap their encrypted type messages. 

The privacy concerns for those that promote the rights and interests of the online community say that this new legislation "would give away the digital keys to our consumer data kingdom".  The governmental agencies however feel that "law enforcement is being left in the dark by technology".  The groups that are against this legislation believe that the government has alot of ways to investigate crimes and terrorist threats.  The concern is that by providing a "back door" into the online community network it will then make those networks insecure which would enable hackers to expolit those insecurities.  An example, is given that in Greece in 2005, hackers were able to eavsesdrop on phone calls made by the prime minister and other officials in Greece. 

Many opponents feel that this opens the door to "Big Brother" surveillance and will put all internet users, and companies at an increased risk of identity theft, corporate theft, and spying. 

As you can see by the various types of analogies/metaphors that were used in the communication it painted a picture which lead the audience to the path and mindset of the rhetor.  By using this type of strategy in their communication to the audience the rhetor can say fewer words and allow the audience to think about the analogy/metaphor and come to their own conclusion which hopefully is the same as that of the rhetor. 


In the words of Aristole; he greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor. It is the one thing that cannot be learned from others; it is also a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an eye for resemblance.
-Aristotle, De Poetica, 322 B.C.