Nine-Eyes

 

Topic 1: Combatting Terrorism; Topic 2: Future of Mass Surveilance

 

The “Nine Eyes” refers to the extension of an international intelligence alliance called the “Five Eyes”. The Five Eyes, also known as FVEY, can be traced back to World War II and is composed of the following countries: Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. These five countries are joined by a treaty for joint cooperation in signals intelligence, called the UKUSA Agreement. The alliance is composed of the multiple intelligence and defense organizations of the five members. The Nine Eyes alliance consists of the FVEY members in addition to Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Norway. The Five/Nine Eyes became more involved during the Cold War, often monitoring each other's citizens when domestic laws prevented these activities. The list of surveillance targets of the alliance includes but is not limited to; Nelson Mandela, John Lennon, Princess Diana, Kim Dotcom, Google, and the UN General Assembly. Over the years, the Five/Nine Eyes has come under considerable scrutiny. While its movements are secret, whistleblowers and leaked documents have played a large role in the uncovering of their actions. Most recently, the intentional surveillance of individuals, and the collection and sharing of their personal data has come out to the public. In the face of controversy the intelligence alliance continues to operate, despite the condemnation of citizens and even governments.