Statement of Condemnation of U.S. Mass-Surveillance Programs [pdf]

This cannot be overstated. Americans are no better than the rest of the world. If anything, being the masters of mass surveillance makes us worse. We're creating the big brother blueprint.

http://www.acm.org/about/code-of-ethics

  "It is contrary to corporate responsibility for a company to
   assist in the creation of artifacts, such as server farms,
   routers, or analytic engines, intended for mass surveillance."

I agree. All of us developers have obligations that are higher than achieving personal wealth, or being a family breadwinner. We are the literate elite of our times. This status gives us the potential for great monetary benefit doing something we like, but it also comes with its social responsibilities.

If enough of us do we can choke off the oxygen supply to these organisations, especially if we make it an unattractive career prospect for undergrads.

Thank you professor Rogaway.

As a "non-US-person", I found myself particularly moved by this line.

It was made very clear to me when I joined that they did not want to employ anybody who had ever had anything to do with hacking or writing malware, and that any hint of this would be grounds for immediate dismissal.

It was also made very clear that any such individuals would be black-balled by the industry as a whole.

I can only presume that this scheme would cover cases of hacking or espionage by government employees, or other such abuses of trust.

Whilst I acknowledge comments that raise the spectre of McCarthy-esque witch-hunts, and I share the concerns, I do think that it would be entirely appropriate for this scheme to extend to other technology companies that bank on a trustworthy reputation, and who need to prove beyond doubt that they have not been infiltrated by individuals with a history of abusing privacy and subverting technology for malicious purposes.

To an extent, this is already covered by the codes of conduct required by institutions such as the ACM, IEEE, IET, BCS and so on. I wonder if they will step up to the plate and enforce their codes of conduct (and if necessary, update them in light of recent developments).

Also, employers do not normally require their programmers to be members of these institutions, and the level of membership is very low. I wonder if this should change, or if we should set up a new institution for this specific purpose?

"Okay", says the president. "I guess if it's the only way then I'm sure the people will understand it's in their best interest" slight chuckle escapes his lips at the end.

When it should have gone something like this.

"Bullshit! I will not sacrifice the freedoms that are the foundations of America, simply to make your job easier on you. If you can't do the job without destroying the very freedoms you should be protecting, I'll damn well find someone who can!"

Director of NSA: while stuttering "Well actually we could work together with the CIA and FBI as well as foreign intelligence to garner the necessary intel that would give us actual probable cause to start monitoring someone by legal means with a warrant and everything."