February 27, 2013 - Swimming in the Ocean of Big Data: National Security in an Age of Unlimited Information

*** The Symposium is at capacity and registration has been closed ***

The Journal of National Security Law & Policy and The Georgetown Center on National Security and the Law proudly present "Swimming in the Ocean of Big Data: National Security in an Age of Unlimited Information".

Big Data is transforming national security capabilities. The collection, storage, sharing, and analysis of data enable us to identify patterns and forecast behavior from disparate streams of information. Despite massive data-storage capacity and sophisticated analytical tools for processing data from myriad sensors, the rate of data collection is outstripping our ability to analyze it. Compounding this challenge is an outdated and piecemeal legal and policy framework governing how data is collected, stored, shared, and used.

"Swimming in the Ocean of Big Data" will demystify Big Data, address its challenges and potential, and chart a legal and policy framework for an evolving technology.

Join us at Georgetown University Law Center, Gewirz 12th Floor, 600 New Jersey Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20001

8:30-9:00

Registration and Continental Breakfast

 

9:05-9:30

Welcome

Denise Bell, Journal of National Security Law & Policy, Senior Symposium Editor

Dean William Treanor, Georgetown University Law Center

William Banks, Journal of National Security Law & Policy Editor-in-Chief and

Professor of Law, Syracuse University College of Law

 

9:30-11:05

Mapping the Ocean: The Fundamentals, Challenges, and Applications of Big Data

The sheer amount and ever-increasing sophistication of information have overwhelmed systems to store, share, and analyze data.  How can the ocean of data be turned into actionable intelligence?  How can we harness transformational technology for national security while protecting privacy in a society where people both willingly and unknowingly build large individual databases about themselves?

Professor Julie Cohen, Moderator, Georgetown University Law Center

Dr. Matthew P. Gordon, Forward Deployed Engineer for Legal Intelligence, Palantir Technologies

Professor Sean Fahey, Vice Provost for Institutional Research, Johns Hopkins University

Professor Daniel Weitzner, Director, MIT CSAIL Decentralized Information Group and

Policy Director for Technology and Society, World Wide Web Consortium

11:20-12:50

Building Sturdy Harbors: A Forward-Looking Law and Policy Framework for Big Data

What legal and policy framework should be applied to the privacy, civil liberties, and national security issues raised by Big Data collection, storage, sharing, and analysis?  Does current law and policy adequately address these concerns?  Moving forward, how will and how should law and policy catch up to govern emerging technologies?

Professor Laura Donohue, Moderator, Georgetown University Law Center

Professor Jennifer Granick, Stanford Law School, Center for Internet and Society

Alex Joel, Civil Liberties Protection Officer, Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Rachel Levinson-Waldman, Counsel, Liberty and National Security Program, Brennan Center for Justice

Paul Ohm, Senior Policy Advisor, Federal Trade Commission and

Professor of Law, University of Colorado Law School

 

12:50-1:55

Keynote Luncheon

The Honorable Rajesh De, General Counsel, National Security Agency

 

2:00-4:00

Charting the Future: What to Expect from Big Data

A solution-oriented roundtable discussion, this panel will feature a case study of a Big Data application under development, followed by a discussion of the legal and policy protections that should be in place to extract value from that application while mitigating the risks associated with its research, national security, and commercial use.

Professor Stephen Vladeck, Moderator, American University, Washington College of Law

Adam Isles,Case Study Author, Managing Director, Chertoff Group, LLC

Mary Ellen Callahan,Partner, Jenner & Block

Elisebeth Cook,Privacy & Civil Liberties Oversight Board and Counsel at WilmerHale

John Grant,Civil Liberties Engineer, Palantir Technologies

Greg Nojeim,Senior Counsel, Center for Democracy & Technology

Robert O’Harrow,Investigative Reporter, The Washington Post

Marc Rotenberg,Case Study Author, Executive Director, Electronic Privacy Information Center

 

4:00-5:30

Closing and Reception