Corporations' Collection and Storage of American Data Continues With No Oversight

Mike Swetnam, CEO of Potomac Institute, comments on the Presidential Directive released yesterday:

I joined the Intelligence Services of this country in December 1972 when I was first “read into” SCI—Special Compartmented Information.  For the past 41 years I have been involved, at one level or another, in intelligence work.  Most of that time the work was related to Signals Intelligence (SIGINT).  In June of 1985, I was assigned to the Intelligence Community Staff (now called the Office of the DNI Staff).  I was the overseer, coordinator, reviewer, and presenter of the Consolidated Cryptologic Program (NSA’s budget) to the US Congress.  Since 1998, I have been a member of the US Senate Special Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) Technical Advisory Board (TAG).  In that capacity, I have had the privilege of reviewing the NSA Program and Budget often.  It is therefore accurate to say that I have been and am currently familiar with NSA and the conduct of SIGINT in the US Intelligence Community.  In particular, I have been involved in SIGINT, how it is used and controlled since the controlling document Executive Order 12333 was released by the Reagan administration.

I have reviewed the President’s new directive regarding the collection, analysis, storage, and dissemination of SIGINT, PD-28. 

In my opinion, this is an almost nothing directive.  It reiterates long-standing processes and procedures for controlling SIGINT.  It redirects department heads and IC agencies to control the info almost exactly as they have for the last 33 years under EO12333.  It directs several reports from the principals of these agencies within the next six months on how well they are doing what they should have been doing anyway.  It’s actually a reminder directive.

Read more: Presidential Directive Misses Real Threat to Public’s Privacy, Says Institute CEO

Seminar Is Part of Global Discussion On Scientific Journal Publication Process

Contributing to Open Access week events around the globe, the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies is hosting a seminar Jan. 22 at noon to review Open Access challenges and opportunities.

This seminar will focus on the economics and current international policies and their impact on open access. One of the primary goals of open access is to strengthen science in the developing world by enabling free access to published research, especially in important fields such as medicine, environment, and agriculture.

Using the case studies of other countries’ policy attempts, the seminar will focus on the current status and future development of US policy. Specifically, it will highlight current US policies, such as the NIH mandate and the recent OSTP memorandum, as well as various legislative policy attempts to require open access publication, including the Federal Research Public Access Act of 2006, 2010, and 2012 and the Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act of 2013. Building on this context, participants in a panel format will evaluate the implications of open access and deliberate future policy needs.

Read more: What Are Implications and Opportunities of Open Access?

Massive Technology Improvements Drive Changes Faster Than Policy Can Keep Up With

Science and technology has been the largest driver in the evolution and change of human affairs, and understanding and assessing new trends in science is the first step helping policymakers react to scientific progress, according to Potomac Institute CEO and Chairman Michael S. Swetnam.  He provided the keynote speech to the neuroscience community at a one-day symposium on "Ethical Issues in Neuroscience" in Washington, DC.

Swetnam’s speech, “From Ethics to Policy and Law,” reviewed scientific advancements starting with the Industrial Revolution, showing how technologies have permeated societies around the world, and emphasized that the government needs advice regarding new policy, new legislation, and new investments.  The report is available here.

“Today, we continue to see the development of earth shattering, economy changing, and socially disruptive technologies every few years,” Swetnam explained. “These tech­nologies continue to have an increasing impact on society and the cumulative effects are harder to mitigate.”

Read more: Institute CEO Says Science and Technology Should Drive and Inform Policy

By Reaching Out to Technology Experts and Connecting to Small Companies, Institute Ensures DoD Has Access to Relevant Technologies

How can a large organization like the Department of Defense find best technology ideas that are percolating in the commercial market place?  Declining budgets and an increase in innovation in the commercial market space -- coupled with smaller/innovative companies not knowing how to do business with DoD -- make the process even more challenging.

The Potomac Institute is assisting with the solution, through DoD’s Rapid Reaction Technology Office Innovation Outreach program, by identifying and evaluating commercial technologies and products developed in industry and academia that can address critical defense needs.  This work ensures government organizations gain access to the most relevant and available technologies to help accomplish their missions.

Read more: Insitute Helps Identify Technologies to Address Critical Defense Needs