NSA Orders Their Employees to Spy on the World “With Dignity & Respect”
The National Security Agency (NSA), known as the epicenter of the United States’ electronic and cyber spying efforts, has issued a new policy directive that instructs its employees to treat foreign targets of intelligence gathering “with dignity and respect.”
This directive, released as internal guidance during the summer, specifically applies to the NSA’s signals intelligence (SIGINT) division, responsible for covert surveillance and data collection worldwide.
The directive, which came from NSA Director Gen. Paul Nakasone, emphasizes that SIGINT activities should consider the dignity and respect of all individuals, regardless of their nationality or place of residence.
While this might sound like a move toward more ethical practices, civil liberties experts and digital rights advocates have raised concerns about the practical implications and motivations behind this policy shift.
A PR-Friendly Move Amidst Congressional Debates
Some experts view this directive as an attempt by the NSA to appease European partners and critics in the United States, especially against the backdrop of ongoing debates in Congress about reauthorizing the NSA’s extensive surveillance authorities.
They question the notion that an intelligence agency, which specializes in electronic eavesdropping, including intercepting text messages and emails, can carry out these activities respectfully.
Evan Greer, the director of the digital rights advocacy group Fight for the Future, likened the directive to the absurdity of the CIA pledging to waterboard people with “dignity and respect.”
Greer stated that “mass surveillance fundamentally clashes with basic human rights and the principles of democracy”.
Very true.
The Biden Administration’s Stance
Last month, advisers to President Joe Biden recommended placing certain limits on the warrantless surveillance programs of the U.S. intelligence community.
However, the administration rejected proposals that would require obtaining a warrant before sifting through specific information collected from Americans.
This information, known as “Section 702 information,” was established in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and is at the center of the congressional and privacy advocacy debates.
The NSA’s directive aligns with an executive order issued by President Biden in October 2022, titled “Enhancing Safeguards for United States Intelligence Activities.”
You can read over the executive order at the link below.
This directive, along with other requirements from the Biden administration, aims to extend privacy and civil liberties protections to foreign intelligence targets, including high-profile figures like Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Experts Question the Efficacy of Safeguards
Despite these safeguards and gestures towards privacy, experts argue that they are largely symbolic and intended to placate critics, particularly in Congress and Europe, where NSA surveillance has been a contentious issue.
European governments and leaders were outraged when NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden exposed the extent of the agency’s power and the lack of oversight.
Sean Vitka, senior policy counsel for Demand Progress, a civil liberties advocacy organization, pointed out that the U.S. government seeks the ability to spy without warrants on whomever it chooses, without independent checks, regardless of the scale or threat to privacy.
He emphasized that the government is creating facades to give the impression of reformed spying practices while actively lobbying against meaningful reforms.
As debates on surveillance and privacy continue, the NSA’s call for “dignity and respect” in its intelligence gathering efforts raises some important questions about the balance between national security, civil liberties, and global diplomacy.
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The Intercept
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