The Good, the Cheap, and the Privacy-Friendly

Abstract

Surveillance of communications data is a contentious topic, typically centering on privacy vs. security questions. Central to this debate, but often overlooked, is the question of the effectiveness of the surveillance technology. This dissertation focuses on intelligence agencies in the U.S. and the U.K. and the evaluation of the effectiveness of the surveillance technology they employ. It examines three stakeholders – intelligence practitioners, oversight bodies, and the public – and how they treat the question of effectiveness, including considerations of cost and proportionality. The final study considers the role of bureaucracy and its impact on effectiveness evaluation. The dissertation concludes with reflections on additional actors in the effectiveness debate and a discussion on the use of frameworks and the issue of trust.