No, you really can't have any form of cameras in secure reading rooms. Not videos. Not film. Not digital.
There is an "access chain" of who has possession or who has viewed classified documents. Videoing people with such documents makes that access chain vastly more difficult to identify.
As a layman, you might think that no camera is ever going to record anything significant on a document that someone is reading in that room, but to people who control life and death information, such chances simply can't be taken.
So once you start recording access (e.g. on film), all of those films or videos have to have the same access controls applied to them, and that becomes problematic if that videotape isn't in the same secure room...and even more troublesome if there is a video monitor watching the room in addition to merely recording straight to tape...because you've got to track everyone who has *seen* that monitor while any documents were checked out.
Now granted, it could be done, but it would be *rare* to video anything or anyone in a secure reading room. The whole concept of such a room is that only one person is able to view certain sensitive information (plus 2 observers, of course).
When something is "Eyes Only", then it means just that. No one else gets to see it, video it, film it, whatever.
Lives are at stake with such information.
7 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires
Geez, how can you still miss my point? IT'S NOT TO VIDEOTAPE EVERYONE. IT'S TO VIDEOTAPE JUST SANDY BERGER WHEN HE NEXT CAME BACK TO THE REVIEW ROOM. And they KNEW he was doing something illegal the first time around. NOT EVERYONE, NOT EVERYONE, NOT EVERYONE, JUST BERGER, JUST BERGER, JUST BERGER. Now, have I made my point clear? I can't make it any clearer. This isn't review policy for every TOM, DICK and HARRY. It's a one shot deal to capture Berger doing something totally illegal on tape. For heaven's sake, HE TOOK DOCUMENTS OUT OF THE ARCHIVE. You're so worried about everyone else, how about worrying about what Berger was doing with those docs once he got them out of the room. That's what you should be worried about. Man, I feel like I'm having a discussion with a johnny one note, or with a brick wall. Can't seem to break through your mind barrier at all.
Archives Installed Cameras After Berger Took Papers
By ERIC LICHTBLAU
Published: July 24, 2004
ASHINGTON, July 23 - Officials at the National Archives were so concerned about Samuel R. Berger's removal of classified documents last year that they imposed new security measures governing the review of sensitive material, including the installation of full-time surveillance cameras, government officials said Friday.
The new policy, issued March 31 to security officers at the archives, lays out toughened steps for safeguarding research rooms used by nongovernmental employees who are given special access to classified material. And it demands "continuous monitoring" of anyone reviewing such material.
The restrictions were put in place as a direct result of the Berger episode, said a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity surrounding the continuing investigation.