RICA is back

[Dave A]

Remember that little piece of legislation where cellphone companies had to know who had what simcard? Well, it's back.

All the cellphone companies need to confirm who you really are within the next 18 months.

Here's the thing that gets me a bit, though. Apparently companies are going to have to store all SMS messages to be available for review by officials.

[IanF]

Here's something else for you to sink your teeth into. We get a printer's contact directory every year, where suppliers advertise. Now they say in there that the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act of 2002 requires all emails sent and received to be kept for extended periods.
This worries me as I delete unimportant emails all the time. How does everyone else handle this?

[daveob]

This worries me as I delete unimportant emails all the time. How does everyone else handle this?

That's easy.

I'm using Outlook Express, but I'm sure that all / most e-mail applications should have this.

I created a new folder called "Copy_All" and set up an incoming mail rule ( Tools > Message Rules > Mail ) that copies ALL incoming mail to this folder.

So as the mail arrives, it goes to the Copy_All folder as well as in to the InBox.

Leave it for 3 months. Then, once a month, you go into the folder and do the maintenance task of deleting the oldest month's mails from the folder.

This system also helps if you permanently delete something you want / need from the inbox, like when mass deleting spam / junk mails.
Also, if someone claims they sent you a mail last Thursday, you can go back and search the Copy_All folder for it.

[Dave A]

I've just got this from iBurst:

You may have heard that there is a new legislation called the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related information Act (RICA). This new legislation affects both cellular and internet providers and requires that all subscribers register their personal details with their service provider. This law applies to contract and prepaid subscribers, as well as new and current customers. As from 1 August 2009, iBurst customers have 18 months to register their information.

Internet providers are involved in RICA too?

[wynn]

And if my service provider is overseas will they tell the Gubbamint to get stuffed?

[Dave A]

And if my service provider is overseas will they tell the Gubbamint to get stuffed?

You've still got to jack in via a local port to get your fix...

The reason why I asked is I wonder if iBurst hasn't got this one cocked. Remember iBurst is owned by Vodacom nowadays, but it isn't a cellular service. And I haven't been asked by any other ISPs (Telkom for example) to RICA.

[tec0]

How to keep your e-mails is simple almost all e-mail programs allow you to back it up somehow. I recommend you use Microsoft Office Outlook. With MS Office Outlook it is easy.

Go to File, Import and Export. Select “Export to a file” Click on next Select “Personal Folder File (.pst) Click on Next. On this screen you will see your folders and stuff I recommend you back up “everything” so move to the top of the list where it’s says “Personal Folders” and select it. Then Select “include Subfolders box” If you do this correctly you will back up almost everything.

Click next “Now this is the fun bit, in the “Save exported File as: box you click on browse and select your desktop “use the date as user name as the name for the file. Click on Finish. Now a box will appear and ask you for password and stuff if you want to use a password you can. Click on OK.

Before you know it you have a little file on your desktop that you can write to disk and keep also you can restore from this file using the “Import from another program or file” option in the Import and Export Wizard. Also you can Google this and there are lots of WebPages available with step by step pictures.

I hope this helps

[duncan drennan]

The reason why I asked is I wonder if iBurst hasn't got this one cocked. Remember iBurst is owned by Vodacom nowadays, but it isn't a cellular service. And I haven't been asked by any other ISPs (Telkom for example) to RICA.

I was also surprised by this. I first thought it had to do with their data card customers (HSDPA), but then saw on their RICA info brochure under the info required the following,

1. Connectivity Requirements, record:
iBurst - UTID number
HSDPA - MSISDN and SIM Card Number
ADSL – username

If you look at the act a telecommunications service provider includes ISPs. Section 39 lays out what needs to be kept on record by telecommunications service providers. It is pretty much records which they should have already.

Maybe they are actually right. The exact requirements may have been more closely examined by iBurst due to their SIM related business.

[tec0]

RICA, the noble act to get internet clean and stop crime. This is BS First of all; all South Africans had a right to privacy, now consider your right of privacy stripped. Secondly you have a right to freedom of speech, you can consider this freedom as a thing of the past. RICA violate these rights but our law makers are just fine with that now ask yourself why?

Well not too long ago the Music and Movie industry started screaming murder when “normal” people decided; hay lets share music and movies on the internet! BOOM!!!!!!! Massif hysteria and slowly these powerful industries made sure that government must protect ONLY their rights!

Fact is movie stars get away with everything including “serious crimes”. I am talking about the bad stuff! But NO! Our children must go to prison for downloading music? What the F*ck is wrong with this picture!

The truth is RICA is here to stop downloading from happening that is it... But what the hell right. Music is not that expensive and I enjoy having originals anyway. Secondly you can go into a pawnshop and get original “good condition” DVDs for like R50.

[Zeezax]

RICA and me and other things

I have read all these writings and I wonder what will RICA do for me? Will it stop me from being raped? Will it help me not getting killed? Will it protect me against burlars? Or is it just there for the goverment to spy on all the people who they think wants to overthrow them?

DO we really have such a big "T" problem in our part of the globe that we now all need to be watched or is there a much bigger issue connected to this which the average man/women do not see and you ask what it is - CONTROL. Laterly all comes down to control of the average man/women and take away the freedoms of their life so that only a few can live in ultimate peace.

Another thing, I agree with the writings on the copy act. Those musicians and movians makes unlimited money and live in luxury and gets away with everything. We try to cope in this financial difficulty time and still try and have the pleasures of life. Have you seen the prices of music movies and games? It's unneccessary high and anyway those people making these items get millions while we only get paid in thousands and some only in hundreds of rands to make a living.

So all comes down to control.

[tec0]

Well if anything the people is letting it happen. Is RICA a nice BS story well let us have a look at how many stolen phones where recovered? OOPS!

Well the truth is what it is it is, a tool to invade and spy on people the end. But don’t look now it is only the start of things to come. Soon mobile phones and internet will become a taxable commodity so that we the working people of South Africa can pay for all those luxury cars and nice new homes.