Surveillance and Power
Bruce Schneier is an internationally renowned expert on cybersecurity. Dubbed a “security guru” by The Economist, he has published 12 books on the subjects of computer security and cryptography. His monthly newsletter Crypto-Gram and his influential blog Schneier on Security are read by over 250,000 people. Schneier’s frequent postings range from short quips to articles detailing serious security issues. His website keeps visitors informed, interested, and up-to-date on cybersecurity and privacy.
Schneier has testified before Congress and served on several government committees. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, and is regularly quoted in the press. Schneier is a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School, a program fellow at the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute, a board member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an advisory board member of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and the chief technology officer at Co3 Systems, Inc.
About this Lecture
Whenever we interact with a computer, it produces data about us. With little or no oversight or regulation, our lives are being recorded to an unprecedented degree. Surveillance is the business model of the Internet, and that data is being collected, saved, and correlated for personalized marketing and control. Governments around the world are also collecting and saving this data, for law enforcement and control. We need to think not only of the benefits of a surveillance-driven society, but also the harms. We need to design policies that limit both corporate and government intrusions into our privacy, while at the same time reimagining our society in ways that can reap the benefits of our collective surveillance data.
Featured Books
Helpful Links
Schneier on Security
Schneier’s personal blog and webpage
The Battle for Power on the Internet
TEDx Talk by Schneier
26 August 2013
Internet, Security, and Power
Schneier speaks at the University of Oregon about power and the Internet
28 May 2014
NSA Spying and What To Do About It
Schneier describes how the NSA spies
15 April 2014