Tom Simpson - Liberty & Surveillance: What should governments & private corporations know about you?

Whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed that the NSA hacked the internet as a key part of the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence program. Since these revelations in 2013, legislation has largely served to give a secure legal backing to what was previously an undisclosed, covert and sometimes informal national surveillance program.

In the private sphere, we are now on the brink of an AI revolution, where machine learning combined with big data will yield unprecedented efficiencies and capabilities.

Privacy and security are both areas of major importance to civil society, so we must ask when does national security surveillance go too far and erode our civil liberties?

This talk argued that the key issue with both public and private sector surveillance is not a trade-off between privacy and security or privacy and consumer satisfaction rather, the key issue is the centralisation of power that big data enables, and the effects that this has on our freedom. This talk also explored ways to make sense of this politically and outlined what policy options are available.

____________________

The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) promotes free choice and individual liberty, and defends cultural freedom and the open exchange of ideas. CIS encourages debate among leading academics, politicians, media and the public. We aim to make sure good policy ideas are heard and seriously considered so that Australia can continue to prosper into the future.

Check out the CIS at - https://www.cis.org.au/
Subscribe to CIS mailing list- https://www.cis.org.au/subscribe/
Support us with a tax-deductible donation at - https://www.cis.org.au/support/
Join the CIS as a member at - https://www.cis.org.au/join-cis/

Follow CIS on Socials
Twitter - https://twitter.com/CISOZ
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CentreIndependentStudies/
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-independent-studies/?viewAsMember=true