The societal and economic benefits of authorized electronic surveillance will increase as telecommunications services and facilities continue to expand and electronic and commerce comes into widespread use, bringing with it more possibilities for fraud and other types of crimes.
Predictor: Denning, Dorothy
Prediction, in context:The 1997 book “Computers, Ethics, and Society,” edited by M. David Ermann, Mary B. Williams and Michele S. Shauf, carries a reprint of the 1993 Communications of the ACM article “Digital Communications Must Not Weaken Law Enforcement” by Dorothy Denning. Denning argues that digital communications should be designed to allow tapping by the FBI. She writes: ”The societal and economic benefits of authorized electronic surveillance will increase as telecommunications services and facilities continue to expand and electronic and commerce comes into widespread use, bringing with it more possibilities for fraud and other types of crimes.”
Biography:Dorothy Denning was a professor and chair of Computer Science at Georgetown University in the 1990s, by which time she had been in the field of computer security and cryptography for two decades. Previous to her arrival at GU, she worked at Digital Equipment Corporation, SRI International and Purdue University. Her books include “Cryptography and Data Security” and “Information Warfare and Security.” She authored many Internet research studies. She was the first president of the International Association for Cryptologic Research. (Research Scientist/Illuminator.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1993
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Privacy/Surveillance
Name of publication: Computers, Ethics, and Society (book)
Title, headline, chapter name: Digital Communication Must Not Weaken Law Enforcement
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 255
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne