The Computermen
06/25/20 • 41 min
2 Listeners
In 1966, just as the foundations of the Internet were being imagined, the federal government considered building a National Data Center. It would be a centralized federal facility to hold computer records from each federal agency, in the same way that the Library of Congress holds books and the National Archives holds manuscripts. Proponents argued that it would help regulate and compile the vast quantities of data the government was collecting. Quickly, though, fears about privacy, government conspiracies, and government ineptitude buried the idea. But now, that National Data Center looks like a missed opportunity to create rules about data and privacy before the Internet took off. And in the absence of government action, corporations have made those rules themselves.
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In 1966, just as the foundations of the Internet were being imagined, the federal government considered building a National Data Center. It would be a centralized federal facility to hold computer records from each federal agency, in the same way that the Library of Congress holds books and the National Archives holds manuscripts. Proponents argued that it would help regulate and compile the vast quantities of data the government was collecting. Quickly, though, fears about privacy, government conspiracies, and government ineptitude buried the idea. But now, that National Data Center looks like a missed opportunity to create rules about data and privacy before the Internet took off. And in the absence of government action, corporations have made those rules themselves.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The Last Archive - The Computermen
Transcript
Pushkin. Imagine there's a place in our world where the known things go, like old modems, or at the end of this brightly lit hallway, towers of computer servers, a little city of miniature skyscrapers. This vault, this data center, stores the facts that matter, and matters a fact. It's all that stands between a reasonable doubt and the chaos of uncertainty. The sign on the door reads the last Archive.
Speaker 1The Computermen Top Questions Answered
What is the Last Archive podcast episode about?
The episode explores the National Data Center and its connection to privacy concerns.
Who was asked to be the lead witness on a hearing about the National Data Center?
Arthur Miller was asked to be the lead witness, despite his lack of knowledge about privacy.
Why was the National Data Center a controversial issue?
The National Data Center was controversial due to concerns about privacy and government control, which crossed party lines.
What happened to the National Data Center after the hearing?
The Senate later tabled the National Data Center and hoped it would be forgotten.
When was the Internet first demonstrated?
The Internet was first demonstrated in 1972.
What were the concerns about the expansion of the Internet?
Concerns revolved around government surveillance despite the Internet's rapid growth.
What event created an unfavorable climate for a national data center?
The Watergate scandal and the Nixon administration's illicit knowledge and spying created an unfavorable environment for a national data center.
Did the government acknowledge the existence of a secret computer network?
The government denied the existence of a secret computer network, but hearings on surveillance technology were held.
Was public attention focused on the expansion of data collection?
No, the public was not paying attention to the expansion of data collection by both the government and corporations.
Are there any rules governing the storage and use of personal data?
Currently, there are no rules governing the storage and use of personal data.
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