When communications are encrypted over the 'Net, carriers can't intercept them. That means the burden to support wiretapping would go to the organization that is sending or receiving the information, experts say. If encryption occurs at the desktop level, the network manager can't intercept the communication. But if encryption occurs at a device on the edge of the network, the network manager can intercept the communication on its way to the desktop. The other is the general concern about security vs. privacy.
Corporations are the kinds of entities that like to keep their communications private.
The wiretapping debate emerged from the IETF's work on protocols that support telephone calls over the Internet. The leadership of the IETF decided to put the issue before the entire organization at the next meeting to determine if there is a consensus among the group's engineers. The IETF members will debate whether the group should develop new protocols or modify existing protocols to support wiretapping. The group will also discuss whether it should post information on how interceptions could be performed without protocol modifications. The issue is contentious among the IETF's membership, which is largely libertarian and does not support governmental involvement in the Internet.