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SIIA Recognizes President Obama's Commitment to Transparency and Oversight in Remarks on Surveillance and Security(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 -- The Software and Information Industry Association issued the following news release: The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal trade association for the software and digital content industries, today thanked President Obama for stating his commitment to transparency and oversight in his remarks on surveillance and security. In response, SIIA President Ken Wasch offered the following statement: "President Obama today offered very thoughtful recommendations to preserve U.S. national security interests in a way that accounts for individual privacy needs. While we commend the President for proposing steps to protect the privacy of foreign nationals, we are disappointed he did not go further in the area of increased transparency. "It is crucial for governments around the world to engage in global dialogue regarding policy reforms on surveillance. President Obama remarks today were an important step forward in advancing this debate. As more work is done, we strongly encourage Administration and Congress to consider the seven Global Principles issued yesterday by SIIA and the Information Technology Industry Council. (ITI). Our principles call for greater transparency, appropriate oversight, and enhanced multi-national dialogue among all governments engaged in surveillance activities." "SIIA also welcomes the opportunity to work with the President and Administration officials on the recently announced study on "big data" and privacy. Data-driven innovation is an economic driver for the U.S. and global economies, providing enormous benefit for individuals, businesses and society. It is therefore critical to apply responsible data protection laws and practices which balance the benefits with privacy risks." TNS 30TacordaCheng-140118-4607403 30TacordaCheng (c) 2014 Targeted News Service |