Kathleen McClellan

Co-Founder and Deputy Director, Whistleblower and Source Protection Program (WHISPeR)

ExposeFacts

Kathleen McClellan is Co-Founder and Deputy Director for the Whistleblower and Source Protection Program (WHISPeR) at ExposeFacts. A licensed attorney in the U.S., she provides pro bono legal representation to national security and intelligence community whistleblowers and media sources, with a focus on human rights issues of mass surveillance, excessive secrecy, torture, and drone warfare. She has represented whistleblowers from the National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security, including Thomas Drake, John Kiriakou, and Daniel Hale. McClellan has written academic articles and op-eds focused on whistleblowing, media source protection, free speech, and national security journalism.

Participating Sessions

Eyes Everywhere: The Widening Net of Government Surveillance

In this panel, we explore the expanding threats to the privacy of our devices and hard drives through mass extraction techniques, especially by law enforcement and border authorities. The practice has far-reaching implications for fundamental rights, including privacy and the presumption of innocence, but it also poses a particular peril for journalists and filmmakers seeking to protect their sources and material, along with ethical questions about the use of information...