IC on the Record, Video: ODNI General Counsel Robert Litt

Tags: 2010s National Security Personal Privacy Surveillance

Authors: Robert Litt

Published: February 2015

URL: https://icontherecord.tumblr.com/post/110099240063/video-odni-general-counsel-robert-litt-speaks-on

Abstract: On February 4, 2015, Robert Litt, General Counsel, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, gave a talk titled “U.S. Intelligence Community Surveillance One Year After President Obama’s [January 2014] Address” at the Brookings Institute. Litt discussed issues related to transparency in intelligent activities, limitations on surveillance, bulk collection of data, incidental collection of data, protection for non-American citizens, and the future. Litt believes the private sector can provide solutions to challenges associated with the spread of encryption. Specifically, he noted that encryption, “is a critical tool to protect privacy, to facilitate commerce, and to provide security, and the United States supports its use. At the same time, the increasing use of encryption that cannot be decrypted when we have the lawful authority to collect information risks allowing criminals, terrorists, hackers and other threats to escape detection.” He closed out his remarks with a plea for help: “I believe that if our businesses and academics put their mind to it, they will find a solution that does not compromise the integrity of encryption technology but that enables both encryption to protect privacy and decryption under lawful authority to protect national security.