US Government seeks societal input on balancing cybersecurity and innovation

One can describe the internet in many different ways. On the one hand, as Wired’s Kevin Kelly once put it, it is socialism come to life without state intervention. People share, co-create and form structured collaboration. The free flow of information and the boundless, borderless and limitless nature of the internet promote economic activity, innovation, civil liberties and the diffusion of knowledge.

On the other hand, one may describe the internet as a network that allows creepy men to chat up young daughters, provide fraudsters with all kinds of opportunities and facilitates global terrorism with only a small change of repercussions.

The same traits of the internet that makes it a boon, also makes it a threat. The big question is: how can one maximise the beneficial aspects of the internet and minimise the averse effects? How can liberty, trust and the flow of knowledge be safeguarded while freedom and security are enforced?

These questions are posed by the US Department of Commerce. The Department has established an Internet Policy Task Force with a mission of studying topics that may pose policy challenges. Cybersecurity in the context online liberties form one such topic.

In its notice of inquiry, the Task Force establishes that in its short history, the internet has become a vital part of US society. Not only does e-commerce provide jobs and does internet spur innovation, it also increases efficiency, transparency and accountability. At the same time, the number of cyberincidents increases too. Last year, the economic costs for cyberincidents in the US was estimated at 550 million dollar, more than double the amount of the year before.

The targets for cybercriminals or other cybermalevolents are not just governments and big corporations, although attacks targeted at these two receive most attention as the scale of the incidents is significant. Smaller companies and individuals are equally at risk. And the latter two categories may well be more vulnerable. Of small and medium sized enterprises that operate online, about two thirds store personal data of their customers online and more than half saves transaction records and other financial data online.

The focus of the Taskforce’s public consultation lies on contributing to improve on the cybersecurity practices for companies, citizens and consumers to make them better aware of internet’s inherent risks and devise ways to enhance their ability to match the rapid evolution of cybersecurity risks.

Whatever the exact result will be, it will be one of compromise. For it are the exact same traits that make the internet a hive of activity, a fond of knowledge and a driver for innovation and that makes the internet a suitable environment for planning and executing illegal activities or even undermine the security of nations. In the increasingly global and multifaceted complex nature of the internet, policy making is always about striking the right balance. It is commendable to see the US government taking a serious interest in this serious matter and willing to take it on in its entire complexity and focusing on both cybersecurity and freedom, instead of focusing on either. So far, the Dutch government and even the European Union have not shown a similar systemic interest.

We would urge them to do so, as the balance between online freedom and cybersecurity can only be stricken right with a clear when reasoning from an understanding of the bigger picture.