Surveillance programs revealed by Edward Snowden have triggered debate about privacy, secrecy, and the separation of powers. One camp argues that oversight by all three branches of government and robust restrictions on use of data buttress the legality of domestic data collection and surveillance abroad conducted by the National Security Agency (NSA). Critics argue that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has expanded programs beyond Congress’s intent. Critics also assert that the NSA’s domestic data collection exposed gaps in the Supreme Court’s holding in Smith v. Maryland that individuals have no “reasonable expectation of privacy” in records voluntarily provided to a third party. Our speakers, who include distinguished academics and a senior government lawyer, will explore these cutting-edge issues.
Business meeting at program conclusion.