David Cohen, deputy director of the CIA, in a panel discussion at SXSW asked to
…engage with all of you. We need to work even more with all of you to get our job done.”
Speakers Jennifer Ewbank, deputy director for digital innovation, Sheetal Patel, assistant director of the agency’s Transnational and Technology Mission Center and Nand Mulchandani, chief technology officer gave an intro to the agency’s work and was also recruiting sales pitch.
The four of them suggested a common interest between CIA operatives overseas and privacy-minded SXSW attendees: the potential harm from increasingly pervasive digital sensing and tracking.
Cohen said that he imagined that many audience members also used technology to disrupt that tracking,
If you have any good ideas, we’d be happy to hear about them afterwards.”
Patel outlined the CIA’s role in supporting or advancing technologies like,
- multi-touch touchscreens
- magnetic resonance imaging
- gun-residue testing employed by the TSA
But most of all, our strength lies in our people. So if any of you want to sign up, we are recruiting.”
She and her colleagues noted the CIA’s exhibit space in the Austin Convention Center had virtual reality and glasses-free-3D demos and trade-show giveaways like CIA-branded lens-cleaners.
Mulchandani said,
Having been a money-grubbing capitalist for 25 years, you come over to the government side and there is a sense of mission. I can’t tell you much, but it’s awesome behind the curtain.”
The panel took audience questions and the first one was a skeptical mindset. Less than a decade ago had SXSW gave keynote slots to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and self-exiled NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Asked if the CIA currently engaged in domestic surveillance, Cohen said
Totally fair question.
We are a foreign intelligence agency. Our collection is focused entirely overseas.“
#SXSW, thank you for coming to see us! We had a full house at our “Spies Supercharged” panel.
— CIA (@CIA) March 14, 2023
Thank you to all who attended, and a special thank you to our panelists who shared their views on #CIA and emerging technologies.#CIASXSW #SXSW2023 #EmergingTech #STEM #STEAM pic.twitter.com/KZAh7KALCi
(via PC)
