[liberationtech] South-by-Southwest Interactive Workshop on Surveillance, Technology, and Privacy

[Yosem Companys]

from: Bobby Chesney <rchesney at law.utexas.edu>

http://www.lawfareblog.com/2013/08/south-by-southwest-interactive-workshop-on-surveillance-technology-and-privacy/

In connection with the annual South-by-Southwest Interactive (SXSWi)
conference here in Austin, UT’s Robert S. Strauss Center for
International Security and Law has proposed a nifty event focused on
the intersection of privacy, technology, and surveillance.  The
proposal is for a 2.5 hour workshop featuring Susan Landau, Tim Edgar,
Jeff Rosen, and me. The catch is:  there are thousands of proposals
every year, and voting by the public plays an important role in the
selection process.  So, if you think you might be in Austin for SXSWi,
or in any event if you just want to lend us your support, your help
would be most welcome.  Here is the announcement and the link for
voting (and here’s avideo in which I demonstrate that it is in fact
quite difficult not to look and sound uncomfortable on camera…yeesh.).

Is privacy dead? Is Big Brother always watching? Or are enhanced
surveillance programs necessary in a world where terrorism is an
ever-present threat? The Strauss Center has proposed to host a
workshop at this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive to get
to the heart of these issues by engaging in conversation with experts
in technology, intelligence, law, and policy and you – the audience!
But to make it all happen, the proposal needs your vote. Vote now for
the workshop “After Snowden: Privacy, Surveillance, and the
NSA.”[Note: the SXSW system asks you to register, and then lets you
pick out proposals you want to support]

Edward Snowden’s dramatic revelations of classified information this
summer set off a massive public debate concerning the intersection of
technological change, national security, and privacy. Alas, that
debate is not always sufficiently well informed when it comes to its
legal, policy, and technical aspects. This workshop is meant not to
evangelize in favor of any one particular solution, but rather to
provide attendees with a sophisticated-but-accessible foundation for
sharpening (or perhaps changing) their own views. It brings together
dynamic, nationally known experts in technology, privacy policy, civil
liberties, law, and U.S. government intelligence policy. The workshop
will delve into the technical and policy aspects of national security
surveillance, the evolution of the legal architecture governing the
NSA, and the way that things may develop in the years ahead. It will
also deploy classroom “voting” technology and other participatory
measures to directly engage attendees.

But to make this a reality, the proposal needs your vote! If you think
this conversation would be a great addition to SXSW Interactive,
please take the time to vote for the workshop on SXSW’s Panel Picker.
Voting is open from now until September 6, so get your vote in today!

The Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at The
University of Texas at Austin provides the imagination, leadership and
intellectual innovation required to help meet the challenges of the
21st century. It is designed to be a new kind of institution, one that
engages the best minds in academia, government and the private sector
in developing practical solutions to the pressing problems of an
increasingly globalized world. The Center seeks the widest possible
audience, enriching the public debate and giving guidance to decision
makers on how to respond to dangers and opportunities in global
affairs. For more information on the Strauss Center, visit our website
at www.strausscenter.org.