Unstructured Data Analytics

CHAPTER 10The Power of UDA in National Security

The soul never thinks without a picture.

—Aristotle

NATIONAL SECURITY: PLAYGROUND FOR UDA OR CIVIL LIBERTY THREAT?

National security represents one of the fastest growing sectors that captures and processes the largest amount of people data. This sets the National Security Agency (NSA) as a leading playground for unstructured data analytics (UDA). From a public opinion perspective, the extent of people data gathered by the department, from a variety of sources, makes it the most polarizing agency. While for some the department gathers all the data and metadata to protect citizens, for others the agency represents a serious threat to citizens' civil liberties and privacy. Without getting into the pros and cons of the NSA's role and its data collection methods, we will focus on the opportunities that UDA represents for the agency's activities. First, let's look at the recent genesis of NSA's release and its underlying challenge beyond its core mission.

Edward J. Snowden, the NSA Whistle-Blower?

In 2013, the NSA found itself in disarray. The NSA took it on the chin from the mainstream media and privacy advocates because of several revelations made by one of its contractors, Edward Snowden. Snowden leaked to the entire world tons of documents about the NSA's surveillance system practices. While working as an NSA contractor through Booz Allen Hamilton (a consulting firm), Snowden copied and began releasing documents detailing NSA's ...