TIA - USACM statement

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> The USACM news release is posted at:
> http://www.acm.org/announcements/tia.html
>
>       
>
> CONTACT:
> Jeff Grove
> ACM Public Policy Office
> (202) 478-6312
> jeff_grove () acm org
>
>
> IMMEDIATE
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> COMPUTER SCIENTISTS QUESTION TIA SURVEILLANCE PLAN
> USACM Recommends an Independent Review of the U.S. Government's Total
> Information Awareness Program
> Washington, DC, January 23, 2003... USACM, the U.S. Public Policy Committee of
> the Association for Computing Machinery, today sent a letter to Congress
> recommending a rigorous independent review of the U.S. Government's Total
> Information Awareness (TIA) program.
>
> "As computer scientists and engineers we have significant doubts that the
> computer-based TIA program will achieve its stated goal of countering
> terrorism through prevention," said Dr. Barbara Simons, Co-chair of USACM.
> "Because of serious security, privacy, economic, and personal risks associated
> with the development of a vast database surveillance system, USACM recommends
> a rigorous independent review of these aspects of TIA. Such a review should
> include an examination of the technical feasibility and practical reality of
> the entire program." Dr. Simons said USACM would be pleased to assist in such
> a review.
>
> The TIA program is being developed by the Department of Defense as part of an
> effort to counter terrorism. In its current form, the TIA program would
> involve gathering vast amounts of personal information from U.S. citizens to
> compile a database of highly sensitive information, including financial,
> medical, educational, telephone, and travel records.
>
> USACM Co-Chair Dr. Eugene H. Spafford noted that databases like those proposed
> by TIA would provide new targets for exploitation and attack by malicious
> computer users, criminals, and terrorists. "It is unlikely that sufficiently
> secure databases of the required size and complexity, whether centralized or
> distributed, can be constructed and effectively employed in a secure
> environment, even with significant research advances. There are important
> steps the government can take now to improve current operational systems that
> enhance homeland security without creating major new risks to our information
> infrastructure," concluded Dr. Spafford.
>
> A copy of USACM's letter to Congress regarding the TIA program can be found
> at: http://www.acm.org/usacm/Letters/tia_final.html
>
> About USACM
>
> ACM is a leading society of computer professionals in education, industry, and
> government. The USACM facilitates communication between computer professionals
> and policy-makers on issues of concern to the computing community. For more
> information, visit the USACM web site at www.acm.org/usacm.
>
> ###
>
>   
> ACM/Press Release
> Last Update: January 23, 2003

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