The Internet Kill Switch

Okay so picture this:  you are at your desk surfing whatever it is that you are surfing (don't worry I wont tell anyone about the site you visit to look at naked people) and all of a sudden the internet stops working or you are getting that dreaded "Page cannot be displayed." message.  No its not the cable company effing with you, it could be that the POTUS (President of the United States - for all of you not familiar with online gibber wibber)  disabling the internet because of a national emergency.  Yes you heard this correctly.

The US Senate just approved a Kill Switch plan that gives the President the power to disable the internet.   The POTUS may declare a cybersecurity emergency and order the limitation or shutdown of Internet traffic to and from any compromised Federal government or United States critical infrastructure information system or network. This does not mean that it will affect you directly unless the emergency is so dire that drastic action will need to be taken.   It is still in draft mode in which the final bill that passes with have lots of changes in it.  Source

I can imagine that the so called "switch" is nothing more than just a few phone calls to other people to tell then to cut it off.  Just like the nuclear bomb button is probably set up the same way.  I am sure that these switches are not under his desk somewhere where he could accidentally push it with his knee, like you see in the movies.  Can you imagine how many people have been under that desk? i.e. Kennedy and Obama's kids, Monica Lewinski etc.

I would not worry about this being abused.  (At least not now.)

Frankly this whole thing sounds like an Austin Powers sequel (I want my credit when they make this into a movie.  You know Hollywood is running out of ideas.)  I can totally see Dr. Evil saying "Kill Switch" with his quote hands.