A rare peek at Homeland Security's files on travelers

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Bob Weber <robertweber () earthlink net>
Date: January 8, 2009 10:01:18 AM EST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: A rare peek at Homeland Security's files on travelers

For IP if you wish

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-24971907

A rare peek at Homeland Security's files on travelers
Is this useful information, or a waste of time?

By Sean O'Neill

The oversize white envelope bore the blue logo of the Department of  
Homeland Security. Inside, I found 20 photocopies of the government's  
records on my international travels. Every overseas trip I've taken  
since 2001 was noted.

I had requested the files after I had heard that the government tracks  
"passenger activity." Starting in the mid-1990s, many airlines handed  
over passenger records. Since 2002, the government has mandated that  
the commercial airlines deliver this information routinely and  
electronically.

A passenger record typically includes the name of the person  
traveling, the name of the person who submitted the information while  
arranging the trip, and details about how the ticket was bought,  
according to documents published by the Department of Homeland  
Security. Records are made for citizens and non-citizens who cross our  
borders. An agent from U.S. Customs and Border Protection can generate  
a travel history for any traveler with a few keystrokes on a computer.  
Officials use the information to prevent terrorism, acts of organized  
crime, and other illegal activity.

I had been curious about what's in my travel dossier, so I made a  
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for a copy.

My biggest surprise was that the Internet Protocol (I.P.) address of  
the computer used to buy my tickets via a Web agency was noted. On the  
first document image posted here, I've circled in red the I.P. address  
of the computer used to buy my pair of airline tickets.

(An I.P. address is assigned to every computer on the Internet. Each  
time that computer sends an e-mailor is used to make a purchase via a  
Web browser  it has to reveal its I.P. address, which tells its  
geographic location.)

The rest of my file contained details about my ticketed itineraries,  
the amount I paid for tickets, and the airports I passed through  
overseas. My credit card number was not listed, nor were any hotels  
I've visited. In two cases, the basic identifying information about my  
traveling companion (whose ticket was part of the same purchase as  
mine) was included in the file. Perhaps that information was included  
by mistake.

[snip]
----------------------
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Mobile: +1-617-308-3336,  eFax: +1-617-812-0443
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www.strategykinetics.com






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