Cybersecurity: Keeping Our Country Safe?

The past several decades have seen a steady increase in our reliance on computers and the internet. Along with this dependence comes risk:

• Losing access to the internet or to our phone services leaves us unable to connect with others, accomplish our work, sometimes even purchase the things we need.
• Security breaches lead to identity theft, destruction of data we rely on, and hijacking of our financial data.
• Cyberattacks on our nation’s infrastructure lead to vulnerability to other types of attacks.

The shift to digital interactions and interconnectedness has birthed the field of cybersecurity, which strives to understand emerging threats and vulnerabilities, and design solutions to mitigate those risks and keep us safe. Yet cybersecurity itself presents risks to us, primarily risks to our privacy and autonomy. At this meeting, we’ll look at how cybersecurity affects each of us, both the good and the bad. We’ll ask such questions as:

• What experiences have you had with digital security?
• How do you keep yourself safe in the digital age?
• What, if anything, do you think the government should do to help keep you safe? Keep the country safe?