Securing New Infrastructure Will Require Watchful Eye, Experts Say

Balancing privacy and security will require a delicate approach as the Internet becomes more pervasive in the lives of everyday Americans, said a panel of national security policy experts on the first day of the Computers Freedom & Privacy conference at George Washington University. The curtain is the most privacy enhancing technology in the world, said panel moderator Ryan Singel, but it also allow citizens to do what they want without being watched, and this decreases security, "but there's no law against curtains." This is a balance between individual privacy rights and the government's rights to come into your house, he said. There is "a lot more transparency" between today's government and the people when it comes to privacy in today's political environment, said BT chief security technology officer Bruce Schneier. But increased transparency does not always come with a fair exchange, he warned. While increased access to government data can promote liberty, Schneier added that voluntary disclosure of information can allow more government control - requiring a delicate balancing of both parties' interests. "Security is liberty plus privacy," he said.