Privacy vs. security: a balancing act.

• Position: CYBERSECURITY

It's back to the drawing board for the U.S. Congress in its effort to draft cybersecurity legislation that doesn't sacrifice individuals' privacy. Had the most recent bill passed, it was headed for a veto by the White House.

"The president has been clear that the United States urgently needs to modernize our laws and practices relating to cyber security, both for national security and the security of our country's business-but that shouldn't come at the expense of privacy," wrote U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park and Cyber Security Coordinator Michael Daniel, special assistant to the president, in response to an e-petition opposing passage of the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA).

Balancing privacy and security also emerged as an issue following the bombing at the Boston Marathon in April. The debate centers on the question of whether the bombing could have been prevented if the government and law enforcement could tighten its surveillance measures.

So where should the line be drawn? That's a question that undoubtedly will be argued for some time to come. It is also a global concern. The same debate is taking place in New Zealand, for example.

The New Zealand Herald recently reported that Roy Morgan Research "sounded alarm bells that the government's response to the growing cyber-security threat may undermine liberties." New Zealanders have become increasingly aware of the challenges of balancing security and privacy as a result of the increased use of new technologies over the past couple of years.

"And with the debate raging over...