The Defense Department has updated its manual of procedures on how intelligence community personnel should gather, store or disseminate information about U.S. individuals and businesses, DoD News reported Wednesday.
Cheryl Pellerin writes U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter approved the updated “Procedures Governing the Conduct of DoD Intelligence Activities” in accordance with Executive Order 12333 after they consulted with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
It marks the first update to the DoD Manual 5240.01 in 34 years, Pellerin reports.
“The procedures were carefully and methodically developed in 1982 and they’ve served us well for the many years since then,†said Michael Mahar, senior intelligence oversight official at DoD.
“But we’ve reached the point now that, due to changes in technology, law, and intelligence-collection practices, we were compelled to do a significant overhaul,” Mahar added.
The manual covers revised guidelines for how defense intelligence components agencies can guard the privacy and civil liberties of U.S. persons when the organizations perform vital missions, according to the report.
The report said the guide also contains a framework regarding the prompt assessment of USP data that was intentionally collected or voluntarily provided for permanent retention.
Mahar told DoD News the new procedures are aligned with the Intelligence Community Information Technology Enterprise strategy and meant to help the IC develop a common platform to share data, resources and technology.