Taking Responsibility: Don't Blame P2P Vendors
The Post I.T. blog at the Washington Post is reporting the U.S. Congress is getting into P2P file sharing security. It seems some in Congress are ready to lay the blame for security leaks and data loss on the makers of P2P software. This is coming out the same day others in Congress are blasting the Veterans Administration for continuing to fall short on security.
The comments on P2P software makers responsible for leaks sounds like fiction, but I'm afraid not. Here is a bit for the Washington Post:
It appears that sensitive or classified documents - military orders, terrorist threat assessments, accounting documents, tax returns, medical records and more - could fall into the wrong hands if government employees who install file-sharing software on their computers aren't careful about which files and folders they share. According to a CNET report, members of the Government Reform Committee told Limewire chairman Mark Gorton at a hearing on Tuesday that his company also might be exposed to legal liability if someone's income tax returns ended up on the Internet for anyone to see because the file sharing software put them out there.
This is like blaming an auto manufacturer for my teenager having an accident. But why stop with P2P vendors? Why not go after Microsoft, after all they provided the operating system? and how about the ISP, they provided the communications channels.
If P2P software shouldn't be on a device, then set a policy and manage the device. Don't shoot the vendor, get a better IT manager.
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Comments
BRAVO Dan! You nailed the analogy right on the head. If everyone placed responsibility this judiciously there'd be fewer lawsuits, for one, and the world would be a better place.
Posted by: Ed Haskell | July 26, 2007 9:53 AM
I was just reading a post (can't remember where) about a couple of recording industry organizations (RIAA and MPAA) suing another round of downloaders. What a waste. Let's take advantage of the technology. There are better ways to distribute content AND make money.
Posted by: Dan | September 5, 2007 6:57 PM