Accountability and the use of technologies in intelligence and security sectors

Workshop Title: Accountability and the use of technologies in intelligence and security sectors

In the current dynamic globalized world surrounded by technological development, national security goes beyond the protection against territorial aggression. National security and intelligence work involve fighting against cyber-attacks and cyber-terrorism that affect the interests of a particular nation or the international legal order. Intelligence and security practitioners are often required to comply with accountability principles to counterbalance the powers available to them. Accountability is fundamental because it can prevent abuse of power and enable public trust in the work of intelligence and secret services, particularly when deploying technological tools in society. Implementing accountability can safeguard fundamental rights, such as the right to privacy and data protection. However, it is often unclear how accountability should be implemented in practice. This is particularly true as everyday accountability practices are deeply embedded in national laws, making comparisons across national boundaries challenging. Prioritizing national security over privacy or vice-versa leads to considerable challenges. This leads to the following research questions: What socio-technical solutions do intelligence practitioners and supervisors propose to satisfy the proper protection of fundamental rights while allowing agility of intelligence operations? When implementing AI, what level of oversight and accountability is attached to human decision-makers?

This workshop provides an open space to explore the socio-legal and socio-technical challenges associated with intelligence and security practitioners and the interactions with data and AI technologies used in their organizations that may affect citizens. It is important to find a workable way where national security and fundamental rights (e.g., privacy) can be adequately balanced in the light of a robust democratic society. Thus, it becomes relevant to take a multi-disciplinary and transdisciplinary approach to accountability in the intelligence and security domain, considering insights from social and political science, computer science, law, design, and other relevant disciplines to fully understand and address the challenges around these topics.

Workshop details:
Location: TU Delft Aula, Delft, Netherlands
Date: Tuesday, 22 October 2024 (full-day workshop)

Organizers:
Fabio Massacci, VU Amsterdam (HEWSTI Research Project Group member)
Ben Wagner, TU Delft (HEWSTI Research Project Group member)
Jorge Constantino Torres, TU Delft (HEWSTI Research Project Group member)

Registration to the workshop is limited, for more information or registration, please email Jorge Constantino at j.e.constantinotorres@tudelft.nl