Washington D.C., September 14, 2007 - Today the National Security Archive publishes a collection of documents concerning the use of U.S. reconnaissance satellites to collect data on targets within the United States over the last four decades. This new publication follows the August 15, 2007, revelation in the Wall Street Journal that the United States is planning to expand the use of reconnaissance satellites over the United States in support of civil agencies (those outside of the Defense Department and Intelligence Community) in response to recommendations by an independent study group.
Obtained primarily through the Freedom of Information Act and archival research, the declassified documents published today describe a number of uses for which U.S. reconnaissance satellites have been employed, including evaluation of satellite performance, mapping, disaster relief, and assistance to Environmental Protection Agency investigations.
What I find most interesting is the subtle way that transparency activists and privacy activists are seeing common ground. Sure, this happened with the Privacy Act, but the PA only served to perpetuate the illusion of privacy.
Someday I hope we will all come to terms with the death of privacy, and figure out how to live in a world without the expectation -- much like folks in rural areas have lived for some time.
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