Intelligence & Surveillance
Just Security’s expert authors provide legal and policy analysis of intelligence and surveillance activities, focusing on their impact on national security and on civil liberties and privacy rights, and their oversight by Congress and the courts.
1,837 Articles

Top 4 Things to Look for in Mueller’s Report in Light of Barr’s Letter
Barr's letter leaves the most important questions at the heart of Mueller's counterintelligence investigation unanswered.

How not to think–and what the Mueller Report won’t tell us–about Trump’s efforts to obstruct the investigation
Back in December, I wrote a post about Bill Barr’s June 2018 memo to DOJ officials. In it, I was sharply critical of Barr’s understanding of the President’s…

Next Step in Disinformation: How a Dating App Becomes a Weapon
A former NATO secretary-general recently voiced concerns that Russia was using Ukraine’s upcoming elections as a laboratory for new forms of interference. A troubling case may…

New U.K. Border Security Law: A Frightening Response to the Skripal Poisoning
The British Home Office has quietly gone about making it easier to detain and interrogate travelers at its borders without "reasonable suspicion," and with little public notice.

A Legislative Shot at Internet of Things Security
The IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2019 could shape cybersecurity standards for vulnerable IoT products.

Why it’s a mistake to be a-waitin’ “the” Mueller Report (and why you should instead focus on two other reports)
OLC’s governing view of the constitutionality of a grand jury indictment of a sitting president therefore doesn't stand in the way of DOJ providing a comprehensive account to…

‘Fixer’ Unbound: Public Confidence in Attorneys, Not Just the President, at Stake
Lawyers may be judged by the company they keep, but not by the clients they represent. Attorneys routinely advocate positions they disfavor on behalf of clients whose views and…

Reflecting on the Civilian Casualty Executive Order: What Was Lost and What Can Now Be Gained
What information did the public just lose with Trump's decision, and what can Congress do beyond just restoring it? Civilian casualties in wartime reporting and minimization.

Homeland Security’s Intelligence Overreach: Two Cases Illustrate Risks to Civil Society
The Department of Homeland Security is deploying its intelligence apparatus against activists, journalists, and human rights lawyers, with no guard rails against abuse in place.…

President Trump’s Cronyism and Excesses Should Prompt Security Clearance Reform
The Trump years threaten to become a boiling point for numerous simmering constitutional conflicts, but one of the most innocuous-looking might end up being one of the most important.…

The White House Counsel’s Flawed Response to Congress on Security Clearances
Intensifying congressional oversight activity prompted President Donald Trump to accuse Democrats of “presidential harassment.” He complained — falsely — that President…

The Seven Step Program for Fighting Disinformation
A full-spectrum strategy is needed to proactively prepare for the next wave of social-media and internet-based psychological disinformation operations.