Does WikiLeaks pose a threat to our best students?

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The WikiLeaks fiasco has appropriately gained widespread international media attention and analysis. But some of the effects of the situation reach farther than one might initially presume. For example, did you know that the US government instructed its employees not to read the leaked cables?

Evan's recent WikiLeaks article was quoted by FOX News - be sure to check it out!

In an article by CNN,  the WikiLeaks prohibition is explored on another level. The article posits the question: Could reading WikiLeaks cost a student his or her future job? CNN reports that experts they spoke with refer to this inquiry as a "gray area," but that some universities have sent warnings to students about negative repercussions that could result.

One way that WikiLeaks indulgences could lead to job problems later is due to the fact that the documents are considered classified. If this is the case, how will federal agencies determine whether the person in question viewed the documents purposefully? This is a good question, because the documents are plastered across the World Wide Web. Certainly, there are some people out there who have inadvertently clicked on one of the numerous links to either the documents themselves or a related news story.  How the US government and employers handle this scenario may determine the employment of thousands and thousands of prospective job hunters down the road. For now, only time will tell (and it may take some time), as the government is struggling with damage control enough as it is. Evan H. Farr on Google +

Evan Farr quoted by Fox News on healthcare privacy

The WikiLeaks security breach has stirred much conversation...but not just regarding the leaked cables themselves. The entire ordeal is raising numerous questions ranging from national security to constitutional issues.

FOX News referenced Evan Farr's article on his Virginia Elder Law Blog. which pointed out that as a result of this massive security breach, an important lesson can be learned in the world of Health IT.

If you missed Evan's latest article, "Should the WikiLeaks Fiasco Raise Healthcare Privacy Concerns," you can read it here.



Image: IMG_4739 - Julian Assange, Wikileaks. - Photo Espen Moe 2010 Creative Commons License Evan H. Farr on Google +

Should the WikiLeaks fiasco raise healthcare privacy concerns?

Read the FULL Article here



With roughly 250,000 documents released by WikiLeaks and with the aid of some popular media outlets, the ramifications of the diplomatic cables will be far-reaching. My initial thoughts were mixed: perhaps this latest WikiLeaks embarrassment will sound the alarm bells for governments and private industries to protect sensitive information more closely; perhaps it will lead to the development of more sophisticated information technology tools and training methodologies. On the other hand, it is impossible to ignore the obvious – that the United States government failed to prevent a massive theft of classified data. As a result, the logical question raised is “how we can expect, in the future, government agencies (federal, state, or local), or even private industries, to keep sensitive data confidential?”

This chart represents the source of the cables

Read the FULL Article here

In my recent article on the importance of Electronic and Personal Health records, I discussed why the electronic storage of medical information is beneficial to patients, and how the use of smart health information technology can save money and lives. There is no denying that we are living in the “information age,” and to resist this transition would be counterintuitive and counterproductive. But, we also are living in the post-9/11 era. Thus, we must strike a balance between our privacy rights & expectations, and our safety.