Step 4: Evaluation
THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY was established in 1952 as the U.S. centralized electronic communications intelligence agency. Many of its operations around the United States and the world are classified, but its headquarters are in Fort Meade, Maryland, where it is the state’s largest employer. The agency is also the world’s largest employer of mathematicians.
The evaluation stage of the critical process is about making informed judgments. Building on description, analysis, and interpretation, you can better evaluate the fair information practices of digital corporations.
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Consider the intent of Edward Snowden in leaking information of government surveillance programs to the U.S. public. Consider the value of the NSA surveillance programs to the American people—and the value of potential data privacy that American people may assume they have. Are the NSA surveillance programs good, bad, or something else? Are people like Snowden patriots who should be praised for their whistleblowing or traitors to their country who should be charged under the Espionage Act?