The recent FCC ruling on CALEA was specifically premised on the "protection of public safety and national security." The CALEA is over a decade old and has helped law enforcement arrest over 54,000 suspects since it was enacted. It is a vital component in the war on terror, as "the cell structure and worldwide scope of modern terrorist groups make electronic surveillance essential to uncovering these lethal networks before they strike us in ever more devastating ways." It does not afford law enforcement any additional search authority and merely expands existing statutory requirements to advancing technology. While there may be some legitimate concerns regarding cost of implementation, there are protective measures in the statute to ensure carriers do not bear a disproportionate burden. Although cost is not irrelevant, on balance with the global dangers the United States faces today, it seems the least of our worries.
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