Editorial: Privacy safeguards needed

[CommunityEditor]

A new Pentagon directive states the government can “inspect and seize data” on any government computer in the interest of information systems security.

That may seem reasonable, but it’s not. It’s actually a threat to privacy in three critical areas. Under long-standing U.S. legal tradition, all communication between lawyers and clients, doctors and patients, and clergy and followers is supposed to be protected from the government’s prying eyes.

The directive says data or communications on government computers “are subject to routine monitoring, interception, and search” for purposes “including, but not limited to, penetration testing; COMSEC monitoring; network operations and defense; and personnel misconduct, law enforcement and counterintelligence investigations.”

Even though privileged data are supposed to remain protected, legal experts say once a computer or its data are in the hands of investigators, there is no way to know who might have access to the material.

A defense attorney’s computer, for example, might be seized for one investigation, but reveal information, such as a defense strategy, for other cases, thereby undermining those defenses.

Without clear safeguards, the opportunity for abuse is almost boundless.

People give up many personal rights when they join the military. The right to due process, however, is not one of them — and the expectation that communications with a defense attorney or medical professional will be kept confidential is a pillar of that process.

The Pentagon must show how it will guarantee that privilege or rescind this new directive.

And no one should accept “just trust us” as a response.


Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/communi...rivacy_061608/

[Sgt Grandpa]

Unlike many e-mail capable clients, we don't really have a choice. WE have all been ordered to utilize the AKO computer systems, with threats of NJP if we fail to check it regularly. I personnally dislike the fact that I have to use this email in conjunction with my business/corporate email and personal (non-military) email account(s). So if I use my business computer to access my AKO email, not only does my employer have the right to "look into" my AKO email, but then the Gov't has (in theory) the ability to access my employers computer(s). So my question is this... where does the right to privacy end and employers/Gov't security assurance begin?