-9
$\begingroup$

If I were an adversary of the US and I needed some information to solve a problem, I might ask a question on Physics Stack-exchange with the goal to get info I'd not get otherwise.

Why do I ask this question? It's human nature for people to "out perform their peers" to get up-votes and be "the one" that gets the status of "public approval". Our adversaries know that Americans are rats for this bait and easily take it.

Has the DoD been aware that people might be using this platform to gain knowledge they might not get otherwise? What measures are taken by Stack-Exchange to prevent escape of sensitive information? Well on second thought, I'm not sure the staff here would know how to detect sensitive information... so there you go.

Why so many downvotes? Where's the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion? Isn't this question just as valid as others? I feel offended.

$\endgroup$
12
  • 5
    $\begingroup$ Clearance holders (who might have classified information) know where the limits are. From a personal perspective, I know to keep well away from where I know the line is drawn. And I have not seen anything that comes close to a line here on Physics SE. My takeaway from your question is that you have no idea where the lines are actually drawn. $\endgroup$
    – Jon Custer
    Commented Jan 27 at 2:45
  • $\begingroup$ Now that the question is migrated, I've removed a bunch of comments. @JonCuster, please consider converting your comment to an answer. $\endgroup$
    – rob Mod
    Commented Jan 27 at 3:53
  • 10
    $\begingroup$ If I were an adversary of the US Are you aware that this site has nothing to do with the United States? It is owned and operated by a global investment group based in the Netherlands and majority-owned by a South African corporation. It is used by people worldwide. $\endgroup$
    – Ghoster
    Commented Jan 27 at 4:10
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ @Chemomechanics What is the minimum amount of fissile mass required to achieve criticality? $\endgroup$
    – Ghoster
    Commented Jan 27 at 6:19
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Please do not be paranoid. Science is an open endeavor of mankind, not of the US government, and here we deal with science. $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 27 at 6:39
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Serber’s Los Alamos Primer has been publicly available for almost 60 years now. Critical mass calculations are standard undergraduate problem set stuff. $\endgroup$
    – Jon Custer
    Commented Jan 27 at 16:19
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ I’m voting to close this question because this is a troll. $\endgroup$
    – hft
    Commented Jan 27 at 20:26
  • $\begingroup$ It was an honest question. I'm not a troll. $\endgroup$
    – steveK
    Commented Jan 27 at 20:55
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ Why so many downvotes? Downvotes on Meta questions tend to indicate that other users disagree with the point you’re making, rather than that your question is a poor question. I think they’re expressing their opinion that this site should not “monitor” questions on the basis of U.S. national security interests. $\endgroup$
    – Ghoster
    Commented Jan 27 at 21:50
  • $\begingroup$ Voting is subjective, of course. I bet this site is monitored for leaking sensitive technical information. $\endgroup$
    – steveK
    Commented Jan 27 at 22:19
  • $\begingroup$ @steveK consider that in order to do that, you would need an automated moderation tool or a large team of humans with access to all of the sensitive information you are watching for, which is a catastrophic security risk. $\endgroup$
    – J. Murray
    Commented Jan 28 at 4:03
  • $\begingroup$ @Chemomechanics there are better sources than PSE for this kind of discussion. $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 28 at 21:48

1 Answer 1

8
$\begingroup$

As a commenter writes: knowing what to share and what to keep silent about is the responsibility of persons who maintain security clearances. Those people are unlikely to answer your question.

I know a story from the 1990s about a person at a US laboratory who was working without a clearance and preparing to present some research at an international conference. His work was close enough to classified subjects that his managers required him to obtain a clearance, so that they could tell him whether he knew any secrets, so that he would not accidentally disclose them.

I know of at least one user who had to substantially stop contributing to the site when Stack Overflow was sold to a non-US company, due to rules about volunteering for foreign organizations.

If classified material did somehow make it into Physics Stack Exchange, a public request for removal would probably just lead to a "Streisand effect."

This isn't so much an answer to your question as it is an explanation of why I don't expect your question to be answered.

$\endgroup$
3
  • 7
    $\begingroup$ It is charming, however, to imagine nefarious groups plotting against world governments but being stymied by a misunderstanding of the twin paradox. $\endgroup$
    – J. Murray
    Commented Jan 27 at 4:13
  • $\begingroup$ I think there was an incident that happened on Linkedin where information was posted that got someone in a bit of trouble but I can't recall the issue. $\endgroup$
    – steveK
    Commented Jan 27 at 16:41
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @J.Murray - and double slit diffraction. We should not let out the secret that understanding double slit diffraction of twins leads to cosmic enlightenment… $\endgroup$
    – Jon Custer
    Commented Jan 27 at 17:12

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .