WORTH READING TSA mission creep now policy

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Lin, Herb" <HLin () nas edu>
Date: November 9, 2009 10:54:35 PM EST
To: <dave () farber net>, "ip" <ip () v2 listbox com>
Cc: <dpreed () reed com>
Subject: RE: [IP] TSA mission creep now policy

On this subject, the National Research Council said the following:
 
Although laboratory research and development of techniques for automated, remote detection and assessment of anomalous 
behavior, for example deceptive behavior, may be justified, there is not a consensus within the relevant scientific 
community regarding whether any behavioral surveillance or physiological monitoring techniques are ready for use at all 
in the counterterrorist context given the present state of the science.
 
Protecting Individual Privacy in the Struggle Against Terrorists: A Framework for Assessment 
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/12452.html, page 4, executive summary.
 
This study was chaired by Bill Perry (former Sec of Defense) and Charles Vest (former MIT president).
 
By the way, I’d quibble with the “mission creep” nomenclature – using these techniques isn’t so much a matter of 
mission creep as using new techniques.  I leave it to the reader to decide if these new techniques are worth the 
investment.  The report also concluded as a general matter that “Program deployment and use must be based on criteria 
more demanding than ‘it’s better than doing nothing.’”  (main report, page 75).
 
Herb Lin
Chief Scientist, Computer Science and Telecommunications Board
The National Academies
(202) 334-3191 voice || (202) 334-2318 fax || hlin () nas edu
www.cstb.org || Where the nation turns for independent and informed assessments of computing, communications, and 
public policy
 
 
 
 
From: Dave Farber [mailto:dave () farber net] 
Sent: Monday, November 09, 2009 7:18 PM
To: ip
Subject: [IP] TSA mission creep now policy
 




Begin forwarded message:

> From: "David P. Reed" <dpreed () reed com>
> Date: November 9, 2009 6:11:53 PM EST
> To: dave () farber net
> Cc: ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
> Subject: Re: [IP] TSA mission creep now policy
>
> I continue to wonder if there is any scientific evidence that would show that terrorists can be detected by signs of 
> "stress".
>
> Of course, it could be worse, Iraqi checkpoints are manned by  trained "dowsers" and their professional security 
> organizations have sworn by devices that use such "dowsing" to detect bombs in cars from a distance. 
> http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/11/04/2340204/Iraq-Swears-By-Dowsing-Rod-Bomb-Detector
>
> So I guess we can assume that the US "behavior specialists" are credentialed based on something other than deeply 
> held beliefs in the powers of human observation and gut feelings.  And I'm sure they would never be biased by mode of 
> dress, facial hair, or skin color.   After all, TV shows are based on the idea that there are people who can be 
> trained to "read minds" by studying bodily gestures.  And TV Shows are always right, right?
>
> On 11/09/2009 03:49 PM, David Farber wrote:
>
>
> Begin forwarded message: 
>
> From: "David Lesher" <wb8foz () panix com> 
> Date: November 9, 2009 12:05:32 PM EST 
> To: dave () farber net (David Farber) 
> Subject: TSA mission creep now policy 
>
> Prof. F: 
>
> Remember the blowup when TSA detained Ron Paul volunteer Steve Bierfeldt 
> because he was caught carrying {gasp!} cash on board an aircraft? 
>
> Much of the controversy was because TSA is *not* a credentialed law 
> enforcement agency; and seeing as how it's rather hard to hijack an 
> aircraft with dollar bills & quarters, such money is not in their 
> mandate. Official TSA responses never really addressed that. 
>
> Well, per Monday's WashPost, TSA has decided that more mission creep is 
> to their advantage. 
>
> <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/08/AR2009110817898_pf.html> 
>
> At U.S. airports, TSA officers covertly monitor travelers' behavior 
>
>
>    FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- You might not see them, but they're studying you. 
>
>    To identify potentially dangerous individuals, the Transportation 
>    Security Administration has stationed specially trained 
>    behavior-detection officers at 161 U.S. airports. The officers may be 
>    positioned anywhere, from the parking garage to the gate, trying to spot 
>    passengers who show an unusual level of nervousness or stress. 
>
>    They do not focus on nationality, race, ethnicity or gender, said TSA 
>    spokeswoman Sari Koshetz. 
>
>    "We're not looking for a type of person, but at behaviors," she said. 
>
>    Under the program, which started in Boston in 2003, a suspicious 
>    passenger might be given a secondary security screening or referred to 
>    police; detection officers do not have arrest powers. 
>
>    Last year, officers nationwide required 98,805 passengers to undergo 
>    additional screenings.  Police questioned 9,854 of them and arrested 813. 
>
>
> The article goes on to cite multiple incidents of people arrested for various 
> crimes but NOT ONE was mentioned that had anything to do with aircraft security. 
>
> I have to wonder how long before TSA is also detaining deadbeat dads and three-strikes 
> parking ticket offenders.... 
>
>
>
>
>
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