Privacy

Late on Friday, Apple stated that it would postpone its plans to deploy a system that scanned images on iPhones for child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The trend underscores the broader threats posed by the unregulated data brokerage ecosystem to civil rights and national security.

The Privacy Act of 1974 is an orphan. At a time when privacy is a hot legislative topic just about everywhere, almost no one has examined the Privacy Act, one of the oldest information privacy laws in the world. The act reflects the technologies of the 1970s, like ancient mainframe computers (that had less computer power than your smartphone) and filing cabinets filled with paper records—it’s that old.

In the U.S. legal framework, there is ample precedent for using an executive order or presidential directive to limit intelligence activities and establish safeguards to protect privacy and civil liberties.