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NSA Posts Opening For "Civil Liberties & Privacy Officer"
cold fjord writes "The Hill reports, 'The National Security Agency has posted a job opening for a privacy and civil liberties officer. The position was first mentioned last month, when President Obama outlined his plans to bring more transparency to the NSA surveillance programs. A White House press release said the agency was "taking steps to put in place a full time Civil Liberties and Privacy Officer."' — From the NSA job posting: 'The NSA Civil Liberties & Privacy Officer (CLPO) is conceived as a completely new role, combining the separate responsibilities of NSA's existing Civil Liberties and Privacy (CL/P) protection programs under a single official. The CLPO will serve as the primary advisor to the Director of NSA for ensuring that privacy is protected and civil liberties are maintained by all of NSA's missions, programs, policies and technologies. This new position is focused on the future, designed to directly enhance decision making and to ensure that CL/P protections continue to be baked into NSA's future operations, technologies, tradecraft, and policies. The NSA CLPO will consult regularly with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence CLPO, privacy and civil liberties officials from the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice, as well as other U.S. government, private sector, public advocacy groups and foreign partners. '"
Is it just me, or does anybody have the feeling that this job is probably the opposite of the title?
This new position is focused on the future, designed to directly enhance decision making
Does "shut down this agency permanently and don't replace it with anything similar" count as an enhancement?
If we want to fight terrorism we could always stop installing dictators and manipulating the affairs of other nations.
It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. - Einstein
So, we're hiring a guy to report directly to the head of the NSA... so that he can report "hey, you're trampling everyone's privacy"... to which the director of the NSA can reply "I know." All of which we still will never know about.
All you do is just rubber stamp all the plans which cross your desk.
Well, maybe you have to sort it into two piles. "Stuff we admit to" and "Stuff that will piss off the whole civilized world" Still, this would be very easy. It's the only job which will do less than a police departments internal investigation board!
I am the penguin that codes in the night.
Most unpatriotic act ever. So, yes, all Govt names are EXACTLY opposite of what they say.
Going by that, this guy is going to be tasked with infringing MORE, without even trying to hide it.
didn't anybody read Snowden's leaks?
Verbum caro factum est
This official needs to have the ability to publicly whistle blow on anything he sees. If all he can do is report back to the NSA on his findings, no one will hear of it and nothing will change.
Somehow I feel this position will be as effective as a Racial Sensitivity and Ethics Officer aboard a Slave Ship.
Just shut these losers down and replace them with real military instead of idiot toy soldiers playing in Star Trek sets.
...explaining to the public why they can't have these things anymore.
Has anyone else gotten the feeling that "The President" and "Congress" are no longer anything other than just a show? That there is some kind of shadow government which is actually controlling things like the NSA. It may be time for a true violent revolution.
Government-owned crime syndicate needs clownish do-nothing to stand around like a deer in headlights while taking the blame for coworkers' malfeasance by virtue of a blatantly dishonest job title. Flexible hours, competitive pay and benefits.
If this goes the way things like this seem to go they will get Dick Cheney to fill it.
The ability to instantly and unilaterally declassify anything, without any fear of retribution.
Fat chance.
I nominate an adorable puppy. They will protect our civil liberties as much as whomever they decide to hire will be able to, will be more adorable than any adult human, and will work for costs significantly below minimum wage. They would probably even be good for morale within the NSA.
This is my signature. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
Wanted: Someone to take the public's wrath and the shocked outrage of Congress the next time there is a scandal.
By accepting this position, you acknowledge and accept that you will be terminated during or immediately after the required investigation during the next scandal.
Benefits include full medical, dental, vision, 5 weeks a year vacation.
Make sure we are able to hide any infringements on civil liberties.
This reminds of how the Australian mining companies stopped growing environmental awareness from impacting their business. They lobbied the Australian Government, and the environmentalists moved from being government employees to mining company employees. I've heard mining company environmentalists say things like "We're not as bad as other mining companies when it comes to pollution" and "Some mining companies don't let their environmentalists leave their office. We have much more freedom" without a trace of irony.
This position will have the same effect. Whoever takes it will find themselves saying "We're better than Google when it comes to people's privacy" without even a trace of Fe to be found.
Work like no one is watching. Dance like you've never been hurt. Make love like you don't need the money.
I'd shoot them a resume but I hear Wally from Dilbert already got the job.
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
I can't be the only one to think that. :)
I really would not want. You are basically the NSA's scape goat. Any privacy related issues would have to go through you and you would become the NSA's whipping boy. Even if you agree with what the NSA is doing, that job has gotta be frightening.
I have 42 years experience as a human rights adviser for the United States government.
1976-1978 Special adviser in Iran to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
1980-1982 Special adviser in Indonesia for Suhartro on civil liberties.
1982-1989 U.S. embassy Chile. Served as adviser to Augusto Pinochet on civil liberties.
This position has no teeth and will exist as a figure head when people and the "shocked" congressional delegates bring up questions of what the NSA is doing.
That way when congress starts up their faux hearings regarding NSA breaches of law and privacy you have put this figure head up there right next to the Director and when a question of Civil Liberties, violations of privacy etc. come up he can just deflect and say "Let me turn you over to our Chief Privacy and Civil Liberties Officer who will address your questions."
The NSA needs to go and the CIA needs to absorb the foreign intelligence functions that the NSA is supposedly mandated to perform. What still stinks to high shit is the recent budget that was passed in the house curiously doesn't de-fund the NSA so consider all the members of congress as violators of your rights and in violation of protecting and defending the Constitution. Considering there's an election in 13 months for Congress and 1/3 of the Senate seats, it's time to start sending a message to these arrogant fucktards that our Privacy and Civil Liberties should not become bargaining chips for passing legislative acts, they're rights we all need to fight for. Send money to the EFF and the ACLU and start getting your friends, family and colleagues informed about the issues we all face and frankly, vote all of these morons out of office because the constant money machine in politics and congressional re-election rates (over 70%) is killing your rights.
Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
Look what happened to the last guy who decided to fulfill the requirements of this job - he sought asylum in Russia!
It's the classic 'approval by proxy' that worked in the UK.
In the UK they appointed a data registrar who job title is 'data protection', and whose legal basis is the EU privacy act. Yet he's not there to *enforce* the privacy act, he's there to approve the *exemptions* to the act. So he spends his time approving all manner of privacy invading uses for UK citizens data by giving his approval to their use (on your behalf, not that you're ever asked or the details told to you even).
It was a slimey lawyer trick courtesy of Tony Blair (a lawyer).
Here, he's appointing someone to represent US Citizens and 'approve' the misuse of their private data, obtained in violation of their rights. As if he can give proxy approval for the surveillance.
It's a slimey lawyer trick, courtesy of Obama (a lawyer).
I really thought Obama would be different, yet he gets into power and it's clear he's just the smiley face on the military machine, same as the last guy.
And we'll want a spy in your organization to make sure you don't spy on us.
Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
I am aware that this comment was a troll, but I do feel compelled to point out that such an event would retroactively justify all of the NSA's surveillance, provide an concrete demonstration that their surveillance was too limited and needs to be greatly expanded (and kept more secret).
Basically, it would cement the NSA's spying permanently into place for good.
http://www.geoffreylandis.com
His job description entails standing around telling the NSA to stop doing all of the things the NSA does....
Let me be the first to nominate Bruce Schneier for the position.
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/519336/bruce-schneier-nsa-spying-is-making-us-less-safe/
http://www.geoffreylandis.com
People who know its a pathway to becoming a contractor.
People who know its the path to getting a pension.
People who know its the path to clearances that ensures future funding.
People who know its the path to clearances that ensures future tech and math job security.
People who know they want to work with telco, crypto and math with a real budget and as a core mission.
Second and third generations with clearances.
The ideological testing for the next gen admins will be expensive. Internal file encryption and more compartmentalisation will have to be contracted in too.
Less people, no trust, more work, been recorded, been scrutinized, ever more domestic data to sort, languages via new contractors..
Spy agencies who put their staff under that kind of pressure always know the results long term.
Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
Good background would include:
- Environmental officer for a West Virginia mountaintop-removal coal company
- Human rights officer for the Syrian Army
- Risk Management officer for Lehman Brothers
- PhD from the Sorbonne in empty gestures
Possibly slightly offtopic; but is there any legal avenue that could be persued, towards the eventual goal of having the NSA abolished?
The posting itself is slashdotted right now, but I'd bet dollars to donuts the requirements include a long list of marketing skills, since that is undoubtedly what this job really is.
We here at the NSA would like to thank slashdot for its interest in this position.
Due to overwhelming traffic, our website may become inaccessible from time to time. should you find yourself unable to connect or submit your CV, please try these steps:
1. calmly speak your resume into any cellphone, preceded by one or more of the words: "Terror, Obama, Occupy, Syria"
2. Purchase one Quran, Disposable mobile phone, and one tank of propane to speak with a member of our team about the job opening.
3. open a copy of your CV in any Microsoft Operating System.
regards,
oscar nascar pickle marmalade1234
NSA Human Resources
Good people go to bed earlier.
Col. Flagg of MASH, or his life-a-like
if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
Everyone go home... false alarm.
I've decided to stop wasting my time responding to AC trolls/sockpuppets... so if you want a response from me... login.
The NSA violated your Civil LIberties, you say? The CLPO was not doing his job.
The terrorist blew up another buiding, you say? The CLPO will not let us do our job.
This post is like being in charge of IT Security.
Taking Liberties with Privacy Officer
Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
Karma: Chameleon
We'll get to actually meet cold fjord during the interview. Though he'll probably conduct it from behind a one way mirror.
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
1. Who gets to choose the appointee from the applications received?
If anyone inside the current system has a say (and that includes Congress and the President), the selected person will have no credibility.
2. Are background checks and/or security clearances required?
If so, then all credible candidates are probably excluded.
Prove anything by multiplying Huge Number times Tiny Number
No one with integrity need apply.
Probably because foreigners continue to use US based web services without any convincing.
... some US fellows are about to learn Separation of Powers(and Duties) all over again...
Never show up.
You need to have a civil liberties officer to keep an eagle eye out to make sure there aren't any civil liberties escaping into the wild.
Being the guy who has to say no sucks. Worse if you have none of the authority and all of the responsibility when things go to poo.
We might need to coin a new term for this. Just as the TSA, et al, practice "security theatre", the NSA will be practicing "privacy theatre". That is to say, seemingly taking steps to protect privacy and civil liberties, but really just doing business as usual.
Proverbs 21:19
The Gestapo office of "Civic Concern and Redress" is looking for an administrative leader.
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
I don't know what the point is -- they'll still have their Ultra-Mega room of highest top secret, where they will listen in on what they want anyway. And that's the room where a rogue might listen in on political opponents.
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
I'm guessing the uncle or sister of some senator will get this job, and never be allowed to do a days work except to sit for pictures in their entire tenure.
Revolutions never succeed without the support of at least SOME of the upper classes. When they succeed, they usually create a government that is worse than the one they replace.
Note that Revolutions are different from expulsion of foreign rulers, which is what the US.1776.revolution was. And what the US.Civil War.1865 attempted unsuccessfully to be. Also note that the 1776 revolution was only possible with the support of the French government. And LONG lines of communication and supply. Even so it was a close thing.
Coup d'états are much more commonly successful, but they, also, rarely improve things for anyone except the new top dogs. They tend to occur when the populace ceases to support the government, so it doesn't care that the new government is a gang of murders. So was the old one. They usually require the support of the military. They always require at least it's acquiescence.
I feel that the US is approaching the degree of popular distain that encourages coup d'états. I don't see a revolution as at all plausible.
OTOH, I am aware that I don't know much about the popular feeling. Only a few people in a small local area. And I don't trust the media to even lie consistently, so they're no help. So I could be quite wrong about how much people dislike the government. Distain seems to be coming from every corner of the political spectrum (NOT a one dimensional framework, but multidimensional...and still distain from every corner), but this is unreliable. People who are unhappy are always louder than those who are content.
I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
PR Manager
This is nothing more the misdirection do not be fooled. They will no have no power and can do NOTHING to stop this. Not a dang thing.
NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP! "No limitations, no boundaries, there is no reason for them."
They added the "no experience necessary" clause so internal candidates can apply.