Napolitano: I don't use email at all • Hacker News Board

Re: Napolitano: I don't use email at all

#11

Post by sliverstorm » Sun, Sep 30, 2012, 5:16 AM UTC

revelation wrote: post #10

jandrewrogers wrote: post #4

For those that do not understand the subtext, the reason Napolitano does not use email is that there is no persistent, written record with her name on it that can be used as evidence against her. This is a common strategy/policy used by many people, particularly among the political class. It is an excellent way to inject ambiguity into any potential culpability. It is a common practice for people that wish to minimiz…

Of course, some government officials aren't quite so smart and seek to just circumvent any recordkeeping system by using private email accounts hosted by 3rd parties [0]. [0]: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20070551-503544.html

Hey, that strategy is just fine if nobody knows about the account. That can be difficult to maintain though.

Re: Napolitano: I don't use email at all

#12

Post by freditup » Sun, Sep 30, 2012, 5:19 AM UTC

I don't see any problem with any elected official not using email. I don't care if they avoid technology for the most part. (I know this may lead to them not being informed about technological issues, and this is a negative, but I'd rather have them be knowledgeable in other areas.)

What is a problem is that the DHS secretary would be so disconnected from technology. I personally think that the US is still quite vulnerable to cyberattacks, and that this should be a major national security priority. (It's possible cyberdefense is kept under tight secrecy and there's a whole lot more of it than I'm aware of.)

Re: Napolitano: I don't use email at all

#13

Post by randomfool » Sun, Sep 30, 2012, 5:24 AM UTC

jandrewrogers wrote: post #4

For those that do not understand the subtext, the reason Napolitano does not use email is that there is no persistent, written record with her name on it that can be used as evidence against her. This is a common strategy/policy used by many people, particularly among the political class. It is an excellent way to inject ambiguity into any potential culpability. It is a common practice for people that wish to minimiz…

That's only a reason to avoid government email- personal email remains personal (which is why Sarah Palin allegedly conducted so much 'state' business via personal email).

It concerns me that the one in charge of protecting so much is so isolated from what they are protecting. I often worry that the proposals to protect the Internet do more harm than good, and I wish those in charge had more vested interests.

Re: Napolitano: I don't use email at all

#14

Post by alid » Sun, Sep 30, 2012, 5:25 AM UTC

Intriguing! It makes perfect sense given the nature of her role and position, but I'm curious how she operates at such a strategic level without it - if not to send messages, to receive them? I thought mobile networks would be just as liable to be tapped? What tools would they use to communicate?

Re: Napolitano: I don't use email at all

#15

Post by ryan_s » Sun, Sep 30, 2012, 5:29 AM UTC

reitzensteinm wrote: post #9

BklynJay wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does she go on to say that some might call her a "Luddite"? This would imply that she doesn't believe in technology, which could logically be extended to perhaps include "understand" technology.

The implication in that sentence is that people may assume she is a luddite, but they would be wrong in doing so.

Would they be wrong? I'm not certain about that. From the single clip I would believe that maybe she is.

Re: Napolitano: I don't use email at all

#16

Post by dfc » Sun, Sep 30, 2012, 5:30 AM UTC

zdw wrote: post #3

The DHS should be broken back up and most of the sub-agencies should be done away with (I'm looking at you TSA). Much like the military, it's a solution in search of a problem, and it'll manage to find problems in places where none exist, or where it's presence is inappropriate and unjustified.

The military is a solution in search of problem? Seriously?

I am assuming that getting rid of most of the DHS sub-agencies was an exaggeration. But I can not understand why you would say the military is a solution in search of a problem.

Re: Napolitano: I don't use email at all

#17

Post by BklynJay » Sun, Sep 30, 2012, 5:31 AM UTC

reitzensteinm wrote: post #9

BklynJay wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does she go on to say that some might call her a "Luddite"? This would imply that she doesn't believe in technology, which could logically be extended to perhaps include "understand" technology.

The implication in that sentence is that people may assume she is a luddite, but they would be wrong in doing so.

I don't know if we can necessarily draw that conclusion from the limited information in that statement. It would seem almost as if she shuns technology deliberately.

Re: Napolitano: I don't use email at all

#18

Post by anigbrowl » Sun, Sep 30, 2012, 5:55 AM UTC

jeffchuber wrote: post #6

jandrewrogers wrote: post #4

For those that do not understand the subtext, the reason Napolitano does not use email is that there is no persistent, written record with her name on it that can be used as evidence against her. This is a common strategy/policy used by many people, particularly among the political class. It is an excellent way to inject ambiguity into any potential culpability. It is a common practice for people that wish to minimiz…

This is also exactly why she should be forced to use email. Any appointed government position should come under extra public scrutiny.

You know every policy decision is committed to aper and that most of them are discoverable in the federal register, right?

Re: Napolitano: I don't use email at all

#19

Post by fleitz » Sun, Sep 30, 2012, 6:14 AM UTC

msh wrote: post #8

jeffchuber wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is also exactly why she should be forced to use email. Any appointed government position should come under extra public scrutiny.

Should all her face2face conversations be recorded too?

In a public capacity, certainly. The DHS should work with other branches of government to ensure that the conversations of all public employees are recorded and sent to the public at large for review.

By having her conversations recorded and played back in Wal-Marts average citizens could report any suspicious activity she makes to a Wal-Mart manager. What if a Wal-Mart customer recognized someone she was meeting with as a terrorist in disguise. Or that someone had brought more than 2 oz of water to a meeting and that it might be a bomb.

These are important measures that she should be taking to ensure her freedom. Just like the government monitors our conversations at 655 Folsom to protect our freedom, we should monitor theirs to ensure their freedom. Government officials usually enjoy the most amount of freedom in a society, we know that terrorists hate us for our freedom and we know that they've attempted to destroy government buildings during 9/11, therefore the public should be on high alert to help government officials maintain their freedom by monitoring all their communications. It's really the least we can do to protect them from freedom hating terrorists.

Unless she's a terrorist herself, or doesn't love freedom I'm not sure why she would be trying to hide her conversations from us.

Re: Napolitano: I don't use email at all

#20

Post by starpilot » Sun, Sep 30, 2012, 6:19 AM UTC

BklynJay wrote: post #5

jandrewrogers wrote: post #4

For those that do not understand the subtext, the reason Napolitano does not use email is that there is no persistent, written record with her name on it that can be used as evidence against her. This is a common strategy/policy used by many people, particularly among the political class. It is an excellent way to inject ambiguity into any potential culpability. It is a common practice for people that wish to minimiz…

Why does she go on to say that some might call her a "Luddite"? This would imply that she doesn't believe in technology, which could logically be extended to perhaps include "understand" technology.

Because she's throwing around the term casually, like people do? "I'm really OCD about this" ≠ actual self-diagnosis of OCD