The Macroethical and Microethical Issues Surrounding the Growing National Security State

 

This weekend and next week, we turn our attention to the macroethical and microethical issues surrounding the growing national security state that has been in the news quite a bit recently. Since 9/11, the largely secret realm of counterterrorism and state-sponsored surveillance has grown enormously, drawing into it hundreds of the world’s top technology firms. The Washington Post did an expose of this world not long ago over the course of four long investigative pieces.
Simultaneously, the Post created an online presentation designed to provide considerable additional detail to the articles, fleshing out the author’s arguments and shining a light on the hidden geography of a world which is challenging the nation’s understanding of the proper role of government. Information technology, and the engineering know-how central to it, is at the heart of this enterprise.??
The web site created to host the stories is an impressive one. There’s a searchable database of companies that are part of TSA, maps depicting the hidden geography of the burgeoning national security state, graphics connecting the agencies within government with the companies that are servicing them, and much more. It’s well worth your time to become well acquainted with.??
your assignment is:??
1. To watch the 26-minute video linked below:?http://www.democracynow.org/2015/7/19/top_secret_america__washington_post??;
and then ?:
2. read the four-article series linked at http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/?Find the section entitled “TSA INDEX” and read the four articles there.??
Then:
3. Make a post on the message board by Thursday evening, November 15, discussing an ethical issue arising out of the reading that you had not considered before. Many of you may soon become candidates for jobs in this sector (whether or not you actually apply for them, or accept them.) By “candidate” I mean: you will have the engineering know-how and proper credentials to win these sorts of jobs. Perhaps some of you have worked co-ops that touch on or pertain to similar projects and concerns. The ethical issues pertaining to security clearances, of course, are relevant here as well, and is open for discussion too.

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