Discipline and publish

July 14, 2009 / Sherri Davidoff thinks that some intelligence data should be available to researchers.

Sherri Davidoff on the U.S. security panopticon:

Not that I really want to be under anybody’s microscope. But if anyone’s going to be analyzing my phone calls, payment transactions, emails and IMs, I’d rather it be researchers who will publish their findings, instead of secretive intelligence agencies. If our communications aren’t going to be private, let’s at least use these capabilities for clear, transparent public benefit.

Here’s an e-affirmative action proposal: For every intelligence agent that has access to mass surveillance data, one academic researcher should have access to the same information. And report on it.

At least then we’d know what the heck was going on.

Not ideal, but certainly pragmatic.