Trouble in Paradise? Hawaii Lawmakers Consider 'Radical' Proposal to Track Every Website You Visit

Hawaii legislators are considering a new proposal that would require Internet service providers to collect and retain for two years data on every website residents visit.

CNET reports that H.B. 2288 would require any company that provides an Internet connection to users to maintain "Internet destination history information" and "subscriber's information". CNET reports the U.S. Internet Service Provider Association as saying this legislation is "the broadest mandate we've seen."

According to CNET, the legislation was introduced by Rep. John Mizuno, a democrat. Similar legislation was brought to the state Senate side by democratic Jill Tokuda to "address concerns raised by Rep. Kymberly Pine" whose email account was hacked last summer, at which time Pine began advocating for  "tougher cyber laws at the Hawaii State Capitol":

"We must do everything we can to protect the people of Hawaii from these attacks and give prosecutors the tools to ensure justice is served for victims," Pine said at the time.

Criticism against the legislation includes the broad language of the bill that could require Internet providers such as coffee shops and hotels to track such information as well as privacy issues that come with prolonged data retention.

CNET reports Daniel Leuck, chief executive of Honolulu-based software company Ikayzo, as saying that the legislation is a "radical violation of privacy" that "opens the door to rampant Fourth Amendment violations."  He also said that recording phone conversations would be less of an intrusion.

UPDATE:

According to CNET, Rep. Pine has now backed down from the legislation:

A Hawaii politician who proposed requiring Internet providers to record every Web site their customers visit is now backing away from the controversial legislation.

Rep. Kymberly Pine, an Oahu Republican and the House minority floor leader, told CNET this evening that her intention was to protect "victims of crime," not compile virtual dossiers on every resident of--or visitor to--the Aloha State who uses the Internet.

"We do not want to know where everyone goes on the Internet," Pine said. "That's not our interest. We just want the ability for law enforcement to be able to capture the activities of crime."

[H/T Gizmodo]

This article has been updated since its original posting.