DARPA Project Memex Erodes Privacy
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Transcript of DARPA Project Memex Erodes Privacy
By Christopher FurtonSyracuse University, IST618February 12th, 2015
Overview: Who is DARPA and what is Memex?
Stated Purpose of Memex?
Potential Privacy Concens
Scope of Use
Transparency and Oversight
Data Safeguards and Retention
Conclusion and Personal Reflections
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Part of the Department of Defense
Mission: Creating breakthrough technologies for national security
Makes pivotal investments in new technology-driven ideas
Three technical areas[2]
1. Domain-specific indexing
2. Domain-specific searching3. Application (ConOps and Use Cases)
Memex is derived from the juncture of two words [2] :
Memory IndexMemex
Crawling
Information Extraction Natural language processing for translation Counter-crawling measures
Paywalls Membership Areas Crawler Bans Human Detection
Beyond commercial web searching
Configurable interfaces into indexed data
Analysis Functionality
Aggregation of search results
Conceptually connected shared attributes
Task Relevant Facets (key locations, entity movements)
Includes a query language for directing crawlers and information extraction algorithms
Evolutionary system for development of: Concept of Operations Use Cases
Modification capability for domain-specific content
Human Trafficking
Counterfeiting Missing Persons
A high-tech Internet tool for:
Internet Crawling[2]
Internet Searching[2]
Data Aggregation[2]
Data Analysis[2]
Data Visualization[3]
Data Extraction[2]
Image Analysis[2]
Uncover data patterns and relationships[4]
Analyze Dark Web content[4]
Crackdown on Human Trafficking… and more[4]
Widespread LE adoption[3]
National Security????
Law Enforcement
Federal Agencies Various Law Enforcement and District Attorneys Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
Breadth of Data[2] collected by crawlers
Avoid paywalls
“Domain-Specific” collection techniques likely to still get legal data
Membership areas High possibility of private information
Government allows NGOs access to Memex tools and data[3]
Lack of oversight outside of Executive Branch. (i.e., judiciary oversight)
Dynamic “content domain” modification allows for investigators to select surveillance specifications. [2]
DARPA webcrawlers or data repositories may be targeted my malicious attackers.
As with any major government system, protection of citizen’s private information is a concern.
Little is publicly known about how long DARPA plans to retain the data.
No doubt this will be a useful tool for both National Security and Law Enforcement.
Scope of using Memex should be set by some form of oversight. Providing access to NGOs may be problematic.
Need transparency and judicial review of information collected in non-public spaces (i.e., behind paywalls or membership areas)
Technical security parameters should be reviewed by non-government entity.
Data retention limits or timelines should be set by regulation or legislation.
Send questions to [email protected]
[1] DARPA Website: http://www.darpa.mil/About.aspx
[2] DARPA: Information Innovation Office. (2014). Broad Agency Announcement: Memex. Retrieved from http://go.usa.gov/BBc5
[3] Greenemeier, L. (2015, 02 08). Human traffickers caught on hidden Internet. Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/human-traffickers-caught-on-hidden-internet/
[4]Kim, Z. (2015, 02 15). Darpa is developing a search engine for the dark web. Wired. Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/2015/02/darpa-memex-dark-web/