Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Fall Semester, 2007
MIT 6.805/STS085: Ethics and Law on the Electronic Frontier
Don't forget that there is a paper summary due on Nov. 8 and a
lightning talk due on November 1 or Nov 8 (half the class on each
date). See the schedule of paper
assignments.
Preparation for week of class on October 25
Congressional Hearing on Datamining
This week's class will be devoted to a mock Congressional hearing
on data mining. Almost everyone will have a role to play, either as a
Senator or a witness. The witnesses are from organizations that are
proposing (or opposing) legislative actions and/or organizations and
people that the Senate wishes to question. All of the roles in the
hearing represent real people, so do some research on the character
you've been assigned, and see if you can act in character.
In the hearing, each organization will have 5 minutes to present testimony.
After the testimony, Senators will question the witnesses.
Roles
Here are your assigned roles. Please contact us if you have
questions.
Look here for your role
Reading and writing
Everyone should prepare a 2-4 page written statement, to be submitted
on the rotisserie by Wednesday, Oct. 24. There is also background
reading to do.
Background reading
These are sources to start with. Web research will yield other useful
information to support your position as well.
- FOIA materials
obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation
- DOJ
Letter on Legal Authority for NSA Surveillance
- F.B.I. Data Mining Reached Beyond Initial Targets (New
York Times, 9 September 2007)
- Data
Mining and Homeland Security: An Overview. Congressional Research Service
(5 June 2007)
- resource page on
local-state-national Law Enforcement - National Security Fusion
Centers
- Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA), Report
to Congress Regarding Terrorism Information Awareness Program, May,
2003.
- John Poindexter, Resignation letter, August
2003.
- DOJ Inspector General's Report
- DHS Inspector General, ADVISE
Could Support Intelligence Analysis More Effectively (OIG-07-56, June
2007)
-
Homeland Security Drops Data-Mining Tool, Sept. 6, 2007,
Washington Post
U.S. Senate Hearing on Datamining
The US Senate is deeply concerned about issues of privacy and data
mining and has decided to hold a special hearing at MIT on the
afternoon of October 25.
Hearing on the privacy impact, legal status and technical effectiveness of
data mining for national security and counter-terrorism purposes.
Committee Members
Members will each prepare a 2-4 page written statement discussing
their position on the issues, to be submitted on the rotisserie. In
the hearing Committee Members will waive their traditional opening
statements, but they will pose questions to the witnesses.
Committee Members
Witnesses (each with one staff member)
Each witness will prepare a 2-4 page written statement, and the
representatives from each organization will collaborate on a 5-minute oral
presentation.
Panel 1 - Warrantless surveillance programs for national security
investigations at NSA as authorized by DOJ [2:10 - 2:30]
- Acting US Attorney General Peter Keisler, Attorney General
nominee Judge Michael Mukasey
- US DOJ Inspector General Glen Fine
- American Civil Liberties Union: President Nadine Strossen,
Executive Director Anthony Romera
- Center for Democracy and Technology, Executive Director Leslie
Harris, Policy Director James Dempsey
Panel 1 questions from the Committee Members. Each Member will ask
at least two questions. [2:30- 3:20]
Panel 2 - Department of Homeland Security Data Mining Systems [3:30 -
3:55]
- US Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff
- DHS Inspector General Rcihard Skinner
- Electonic Frontier Foundation: Cindy Cohn, John Gilmore
- Prof. David Cole, Georgetown Law School (plus assistant)
- U.S. Admiral (Ret.) John Poindexter (plus assistant)
Panel 2 questions from the Committee Members) [3:55 - 4:50]
Concluding Statement from the Chair [4:50 - 5:00]