Classified documents leak on social media sparks debate over government monitoring
Expanded government surveillance could violate privacy law, some experts said. The leak of dozens of highly classified documents on the social media platform Discord has elicited concern over online spaces where users can post sensitive government material without notice of authorities. Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old airman in the Massachusetts Air National Guard, allegedly posted documents as early as December in a private Discord server, akin to a members-only chat room, according to charging documents. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was first informed of the leak months later in early April, he said at a press conference last week. Teixeira was charged on Friday with unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information and willful retention of classified documents, which collectively carry a maximum of 15 years in prison. The blockbuster leak underscores the challenge posed by social media platforms like Discord on which sensitive material can spread from private ch...