National security

National security shouldn't come at the cost of our privacy and liberty

The inverse relationship between security and privacy is almost as immutable as the laws of physics. When one is enhanced, the other is often sacrificed. A strong democracy demands a steady balance between the two, where neither is sacrificed for the other. However, the U.S. government’s enforcement of outdated data security laws violates newly established global treaties and neglects this need for a fundamental balance between security and privacy.

Congressional action to pass the bipartisan International Communications Privacy Act would mark an important movement toward fixing the problem. Through mutual legal assistance treaties, countries are able to assist each other in combating crimes, like drug trafficking, while respecting each nation’s sovereignty and the privacy of each nation’s citizens.