ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how big data challenges the longstanding and foundational principles and practices of intelligence in six ways. First, how it is altering the practice of secrecy in intelligence work, activities and organisations. Second, how the big data landscape impacts understandings of geographical jurisdiction, affecting the distinction between operations that occur onshore and offshore, as well as what constitutes nationality in the context of data. Third, how it is complicating approaches to innovation and the adoption of new and emerging technologies, like AI and machine learning, in intelligence and national security contexts. Fourth, big data challenges the fundamental principles of intelligence storage and compartmentalisation which agencies rely on to reduce security risks and ensure compliance. Fifth, the big data landscape has created national security decision-makers outside of government that expand the potential attack surface available to adversaries. Finally, it shows that the big data landscape has exponentially increased security vulnerabilities and directly challenges existing methods of assessing social harms and national security threats.
