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posted by janrinok on Sunday May 28 2023, @11:23AM   Printer-friendly

Uncle Sam confirms it's saying nothing:

The US International Trade Administration (ITA) has admitted it promotes the sale of American-approved commercial spyware to foreign governments, and won't answer questions about it, according to US Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Wyden, in a letter to US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, has demanded answers about the surveillance and policing tech that ITA – a US government agency – pushes to other countries. And he wants the agency to name names when it comes to which companies' spyware is being promoted with US tax dollars.

ITA is housed within the US Commerce Department and tasked with promoting American exports. Wyden chairs the Senate Finance Committee, which has responsibility for international trade policy, and he's not happy.

The senator first requested info from ITA about promoting spyware abroad in May 2022. At that time, the agency confirmed it had promoted this type of technology, but it didn't answer questions about which products it endorsed and in which markets.

Both of these things are problematic. Commercial spyware has historically been used to target activists, journalists, and political dissidents, and when it ends up in the hands of authoritarian regimes, these people can end up dead.

In March, the agency told Wyden's office that it had a new policy to restrict the promotion of these types of products in the works — but ITA refused to share that policy without a formal request.

Wyden didn't hesitate. In a letter [PDF] on Friday, he asked the agency to see the policy, and also demanded that ITA provide a ton of details about the surveillance technology companies it works with, and how it makes decisions about which businesses to assist.

ITA must be transparent about its past and current promotion of these technologies abroad

"As you know, the Biden administration has recognized that surveillance technologies are frequently used by governments to invade the privacy of their citizens, enable violence and discrimination, and disproportionately harm marginalized and vulnerable communities," Wyden wrote.

"Given the administration's stated interest in limiting the human rights abuses made possible by these technologies, ITA must be transparent about its past and current promotion of these technologies abroad."


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  • (Score: 2, Troll) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Sunday May 28 2023, @12:18PM (3 children)

    by Rosco P. Coltrane (4757) on Sunday May 28 2023, @12:18PM (#1308636)

    domestically and internationally, worldwide. Is it okay when they do it but not okay when they sell a tiny bit of their capabilities abroad? What a strange set of moral standards...

    • (Score: 4, Touché) by Runaway1956 on Sunday May 28 2023, @12:49PM (1 child)

      by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Sunday May 28 2023, @12:49PM (#1308643) Journal

      What moral standards? Government only cares about human rights when the voters/public are actually looking. How is Julian Assange, these days? How 'bout Aaron Swartz? We could walk through a long, long list of human rights violations that meant nothing, until the public expressed outrage. Should we bury your heart at Wounded Knee?

      • (Score: 1) by anubi on Sunday May 28 2023, @10:24PM

        by anubi (2828) on Sunday May 28 2023, @10:24PM (#1308702) Journal

        My take is that government sanctioned spyware is a double secret agent.

        It can also covertly report who and what the customer is spying on.

        You can't trust people who base their business model on deceit.

        --
        "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
    • (Score: 2) by Gaaark on Sunday May 28 2023, @11:11PM

      by Gaaark (41) on Sunday May 28 2023, @11:11PM (#1308704) Journal

      Yup: they sell software that can steal data and dats otay!

      Snowden uses hardware (himself) and software to steal data and releases it: OMGords! Jail time!

      --
      --- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
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