The National Security Institute Publishes Law & Policy Paper on the
Weaponization of Data
March 17, 2025
Keelin Wolfe
National Security Institute
[email protected]
Arlington, VA – Today, the National Security Institute (NSI) at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School released a new law and policy paper, Data as a Weapon: The Overlooked Domain, authored by NSI Senior Fellow Amy K. Mitchell. The paper examines how adversaries exploit personal and consumer data as a strategic asset, posing growing threats to U.S. national security and personal privacy.
The paper highlights:
- Data as a National Security Threat: Foreign-owned technology platforms and infrastructure have enabled large-scale data collection and misuse, creating new avenues for espionage, surveillance, and influence operations.
- Policy Gaps and Adversarial Technology: Rapid digital innovation has outpaced U.S. legislation, while adversaries like China exploit these gaps—expanding global data acquisition through smart cities, 5G infrastructure, and international deals.
- AI and Data Integrity Risks: AI systems depend on trustworthy data; adversarial manipulation of datasets threatens to distort decision-making, public discourse, and national security operations.
- Urgent U.S. Policy Action Needed: Congress and the Executive Branch must prioritize data protections, centralize oversight, boost cyber enforcement, and treat critical data infrastructure as a core security issue.
This paper builds on NSI’s commitment to shaping forward-leaning national security strategies amid a rapidly changing digital environment. As consumer data becomes a battlefield in geopolitical competition, the need for decisive legislative and executive action is urgent.
Click here to read Data as a Weapon: The Overlooked Domain.
“Data is the newest domain of conflict—and America is behind,” said Amy K. Mitchell, author of the paper and Senior Fellow at NSI. “From facial recognition to social media platforms, adversaries are collecting and weaponizing American data at scale. The time for passive policymaking has passed. Without urgent action, the United States could fall prey to our largest adversaries in short order.”
“Amy Mitchell’s paper highlights a critically important national security issue, the collection and use of American data by our adversaries, particularly in the age of AI,” said Jamil N. Jaffer, Founder and Executive Director of the National Security Institute. “It offers a thoughtful, practical roadmap with actionable recommendations for how policymakers—and industry—can work together to close gaps and protect Americans in this new era.”
Learn more here about the author, Amy K. Mitchell.
About the National Security Institute
The National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School serves as a platform for research, teaching, scholarship, and policy development. NSI incorporates a realistic assessment of the threats facing the United States and its allies, as well as an appreciation of the legal and practical challenges facing our intelligence, law enforcement, national security, technology, innovation, and cybersecurity communities.
About the Antonin Scalia Law School
The Antonin Scalia Law School was founded in 1972 as the International School of Law in Washington, DC. In 1979 it merged with George Mason Law school and was named after the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016. The school is located in Arlington, Va. and is ranked #28 nationally by US News—#3 among all 16 schools in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland. The school offers JD, LLM, and JM degrees and is home to seven nationally acclaimed centers, including the Law and Economics Center, the National Security Institute and the NSI Cyber & Tech Center, and the first-in-the-nation Cyber, Intelligence, and National Security LL.M. program.
About George Mason University
George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university, enrolling over 40,000 students from 130 countries. Recognized for innovation, diversity, and commitment to accessibility, Mason launched a one-billion-dollar campaign in 2023 to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship.