LONDON, UK - January 9, 2009 - Real-time
communications and Web 2.0 security firm, FaceTime Communications
says that UK government plans to force all Internet Service
Providers (ISPs) to keep information about every e-mail sent or
received in the country for a year will have little effect on
crime, because most criminals already use other modern forms of
electronic communication such as instant messaging.
From March this year all ISPs will be expected by law to retain
email communications that pass through its servers. Civil liberties
aside, the new law does not take into consideration the new
generation of internet users that regularly use real-time
communications and social networking sites such as Instant
Messaging, Facebook chat and Skype to communicate.
"In today's connected world, millions of users are already using
IM to try and bypass email security controls that their employers
have put in place," says Nick Sears, VP EMEA of FaceTime
Communications. "When monitoring communications email is just one
part of the story and it can't be treated in isolation - it would
be like locking the front door, but leaving the ground floor
windows open not to look at real time communications tools such as
IM, P2P and social networks."
At the beginning of 2008 Jérôme Kerviel was arrested after
causing a reported £3.6bn loss to Société Générale. Much of the
communication for his crime was carried out over instant messaging.
He believed that IM allowed him to circumvent the corporate
controls on his email account. Fortunately in this case he was
wrong and Société Générale was able to retrieve these instant
messages provided a clear trail for investigators.
It may have been a different outcome if the messages were sent
over Skype for instance, which encrypts the message end to end.
This story is perhaps the most high profile to date, but FaceTime
can point to thousands of crimes occurring over IM, P2P and other
Web 2.0 communications every month - with social networks, IM
communications and P2P networks being utilised in the sharing of
illicit content and materials.
"Most security organisations are predicting that real-time
communication and social networking sites will be the main focus
for cyber criminals in 2009. If combating crime is the primary
reason for implementing this law, then the Government should
urgently review these plans to include the technology being used
today, not yesterday," concludes Nick Sears.
About Actiance, Inc. (Formerly FaceTime Communications, Inc.)
FaceTime Communications became Actiance, Inc on January 11, 2011 following an agreement to
transfer the FaceTime trademark to Apple.
FaceTime Communications enables the safe and productive use of Unified Communications and Web 2.0,
including instant messaging, blogs and social networking. Ranked number one by IDC for five consecutive
years, FaceTime's award-winning solutions are used by more than 1,500 customers for the security,
management and compliance of real-time communications. FaceTime supports or has strategic partnerships
with all leading IM, unified communications providers and social networks including AOL, Google, Yahoo!,
Skype, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
FaceTime is headquartered in Belmont, California. For more information visit
http://www.facetime.com or call 888-349-3223.
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