EPIC Obtains Documents on Tech Industry and Countering Violent Extremism

Through a Freedom of Information Act request EPIC obtained documents about a 2016 meeting with the leaders of the tech industry on countering violent extremism. The meeting included Attorney General Loretta Lynch, FBI Director Jame Comey, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. The documents EPIC obtained reveal the attendees, agenda items, and email discussions in preparation for the meeting. Reports at the time indicated that tech leaders and administration officials were concerned about extremist content on social media. Administration officials also raised concerns about encryption. EPIC has long supported strong encryption to protect Internet users from financial fraud, identity theft, and other crimes. EPIC filed a "friend of the court" brief in support of Apple's challenge in the FBI's decryption order, noting that far more cellphones were lost or stolen than were obtained by law enforcement agencies in the course of an investigation.