In the wake of the Air National Guard IT specialist Jack Teixeira’s leak case, US lawmakers on Capitol Hill are looking to find ways to reduce the amount of classified information stored. With many representatives calling for an overall classification protocol overhaul, they are now looking to modern technologies to offer new solutions to this perpetual problem.
The US Department of Justice named Teixeira as the suspect responsible for leaking hundreds of military documents, some classified as “Top Secret.” He allegedly shared them with a Discord server as early as December 2020. On Wednesday, two of Teixeira’s commanders were suspended pending an investigation. Then, on Thursday, the DOJ lawyers alleged that Teixeira owns a large number of firearms and that he had posted on social media about wanting to kill a “ton of people.”
Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said this case reveals the flaws in over-classifying information. He is not the only one concerned, as Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner voiced his desire to reduce the number of security clearances and thus simplifying the system.
Many lawmakers believe that implementing the right technologies can help protect American secrets while increasing transparency. Some are suggesting the use of AI tools, while others propose a porn filter to filter out sensitive documents. Additionally, several representatives are pushing for theclassification of less information. Although, Congressman Smith warned that when trying to protect everything, things that matter can still slip through the cracks.
Finding the right balance between storing enough information while at the same time protecting sensitive information is proving difficult. As politicians are still searching for silver bullets, it is imperative to continue to assess the country’s classification protocols that can help prioritize the protection of American secrets.
