Obama promised to make intelligence programs more transparent

US President Barack Obama held a press conference in the White House yesterday where he announced four reforms that, he said, would increase transparency and public awareness of NSA programs and other US intelligence services, writes The Verge.

“As president, it’s not enough for me to be confident in these programs, the American people must also be sure of them,” Obama said. “For other people from around the world, I want to make it clear once again that America is not interested in spying on ordinary people. Our intelligence is primarily focused on finding the information necessary to protect our people, and in many cases to protect our allies. ”

As Obama said: “It is true that we have significant opportunities. What is also true is that we are capable of self-control, which many governments around the world don’t even think about. ” He said the announced reforms were conceived following talks he had with members of Congress and civil liberties advocates concerned about intelligence activity uncovered as a result of leaking documents from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

“Given the history of government abuse, asking questions about intelligence is right,” Obama said. “Especially since technology is changing every aspect of our lives.” The president also noted that while intelligence critics are patriots, “I don’t think Mr. Snowden is a patriot,” and the government still accuses him of having committed three crimes. But he added: "There is no doubt that the leak from Mr. Snowden caused a quick and much more emotional reaction."

So, four proposed reforms:

• Amendment of Section 215 of the Patriotic Act, which is part of the law allowing the NSA to collect data on telephone conversations of all customers of US mobile operators. The president did not specify what changes would be made, limiting himself to words about “greater control, greater transparency and restrictions on the use of this power,” but said he would work with Congress to amend the law. In immediate action, the White House issued a document detailing its interpretation of section 215 .
• Reform of the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Supervisory Court (FISA), which reviews the NSA’s requests to track cellular and Internet communications. A lawyer will be represented in court who will dispute these requests on behalf of the community. As Obama admitted, earlier the court heard only “one side of the matter” - the government. The White House also promised to promulgate the 2011 FISA court ruling, which made some espionage unconstitutional, and is about to send it on August 12 to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a long-standing trial, to get the ruling.
• Creation of the director of confidentiality and civil liberties at the NSA. As for the entire US intelligence community, which includes the NSA and the CIA, a new site will be launched that will include more information about the activities of the involved departments.
• Establishment of an independent advisory group of “independent experts” that will be allowed to review intelligence activities and will publish an open report within two months and a final report at the end of the year. Obama did not specify whether the committee will have the power to somehow change things or whether the government will follow the committee’s proposals.

As The Verge notes, reforms seem designed not so much to actually change things, but to change public perception. In the preceding months, Obama has repeatedly spoken out in defense of intelligence, and recently intelligence agencies have received permission to continue monitoring telephone calls. The American Civil Liberties Union, a long-time opponent of Obama, called the announced refoms necessary, but more than insufficient.