At BlackHat 2014, we debated the NSA's collection of Americans' phone calls, emails, address books, buddy lists, calling records, online video game chats, financial documents, browsing history, video chats, text messages, IP addresses, and calendar data. One section that's being used to collect calling records and other business records - Section 215 of the Patriot Act - expired in June. Within days, Congress passed a law to narrow the scope of the section and introduce much needed transparency. It was the first time since the 1970's that Congress reined in the NSA's surveillance practices.
This year we'll discuss Section 215 of the Patriot Act and debate what Congress did to reform the section. Did it fix the program? Did it do nothing? Does Congress ever do anything? Join us by hearing former Senior Counsel of the House Intelligence Committee Jamil Jaffer debate these issues with Mark Jaycox of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.