AP: Privacy Protecting Programs Killed

[rodbarnett]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Two cutting-edge computer projects designed to preserve the privacy of Americans were quietly killed while Congress was restricting Pentagon data-gathering research in a widely publicized effort to protect innocent citizens from futuristic anti-terrorism tools.

As a result, the government is quietly pressing ahead with research into high-powered computer data-mining technology without the two most advanced privacy protections developed to police those terror-fighting tools.

<snip>

Poindexter's new software tools, far more powerful than existing commercial products, would have allowed government agents to quickly scan the private commercial transactions and personal health records of millions of Americans and foreigners for telltale signs of terrorist activity.

Partly to appease critics, Poindexter also was developing two privacy tools that would have concealed names on records during the scans. Only if agents discovered concrete evidence of terrorist activities would they have been permitted to learn the identities of the people whose records aroused suspicion.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040315/D81ASHIO0.html

comment : carnivore II

[ewagner]

1. Lemme get this straight...

Poindexter is gone but his work has been farmed out to other defense agencies and continues WITHOUT the privacy protection software?

In other words its another Rummy bait and switch routine.......

[UpInArms]

2. the names are changed to obscure the guilt of this

mal-administration

Lots of info and links here:

http://www.epic.org/privacy/profiling/tia/

Poindexter's Recent Op-Ed Reflects Inconsistencies in Statements regarding Total Information Awareness (TIA). On Sept. 10 John Poindexter, the former director of the Information Awareness Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, published an Op-Ed in the New York Times regarding the Total Information Awareness program. Poindexter's statement--and the Department of Defense's latest characterization of TIA in general--is inconsistent with earlier statements regarding the purpose and capabilities of the program. (Sept 10)

Name Changed. Problem Solved. The Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has released a report on the "Terrorism" Information Awareness Program. The name change is intended to address concerns that a massive program of public surveillance may raise privacy concerns. An Executive Summary and a FAQ is also available. (May 20)

Info Awareness Report Due. The Department Defense research agency is expected to submit a report to Congress today on the Total Information Awareness program. In February Congress suspended funding for the surveillance program and required the Defense Department to describe the project's privacy implications. An EPIC lawsuit has produced contractor documents that reveal key projects on monitoring and tracking individuals in the United States.(May 20)

EPIC Obtains More Info on Total Info Awareness.An EPIC lawsuit (pdf) has resulted in the release of additional documents about Total Information Awareness. The most recent disclosures provide more details on specific projects, including deliverables and timelines. For more information, see the updated table of contractors. (April 4)

[ewagner]

3. Cute...really cute....

the (mis)administration is finding ways around everything.

[CheshireCat]

4. OK - now I am totally po'ed

I know the WH is responsible for much of this, but what about Congress????

Why didn't they speak up about killing the "Privacy Protecting Programs"?

This needs to be frontpage news.

[hang a left]

5. Because maybe, just maybe they are IN ON IT!

n/t

[holeinboatoutatsea]

6. Most of congress is not truly representative

of the people who elect them. It's been said a thousand times in a thousand different ways: They are beholden only to those who supply them with huge "favors" and offer them lobbying jobs when they either retire or are voted out.

I wish we could clone Kucinich a few hundred times.

[redqueen]

7. That's putting it diplomatically

:)

And I concur on your wish re: Kucinich. If only we had more honest politicians. *sigh*