- The author has become one of three members of the Dutch Intelligence and Security Services Oversight Committee (TIB), effective December 1.
- The TIB reviews the legality of requests by Dutch intelligence agencies to use powers like wiretapping, eavesdropping, SIGINT, or hacking, and its decisions are binding.
- The committee consists of two judges and one technical expert, reflecting the need for both legal and technical oversight.
- The author previously worked for the AIVD (Dutch intelligence service) from 2003 to 2006, which is no longer secret.
- The selection process involves application to high courts, parliamentary screening, strict security clearance, and appointment by royal decree, with the author's decree arriving as a crumpled copy due to COVID-19.
- The author believes in the importance of intelligence services and the rule of law, and hopes their oversight contributes to proper use of special powers.
- The author clarifies they are not a spy but review what spies want to do, and that while the work is secret, the members' identities are public.
- The author continues to work on open-source projects like galmon.eu.