FC: Privacilla comments on TSA plan: "Every Traveler A Terror Suspect"

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

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From: "Jim Harper - Privacilla.org" <jim.harper () privacilla org>
To: "'Declan McCullagh'" <declan () well com>
Subject: FC: Commenting on DoT's airline passenger tracking system
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 01:41:27 -0500

Declan:

Below, for possible Politech publication, are Privacilla materials on the 
TSA/DoT database plan.  Timely activism and comments by others are encouraged.


Jim Harper

Editor

Privacilla.org



-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Harper - Privacilla.org [mailto:jim.harper () privacilla org]
Sent: Friday, February 21, 2003 1:13 AM
To: 'jim.harper () privacilla org'
Subject: Privacilla.org on TSA Database: Every Traveler A Terror Suspect



The handsome Web version of this press release is at: 
http://www.privacilla.org/releases/press019.html

Privacilla s letter to the DoT/TSA is at: 
http://www.privacilla.org/releases/TSA_comments_02-21-03.pdf

The Privacy Act notice referred to is at: 
http://frwebgate6.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=806366114103+3+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve 
(long link may be broken you may have to fix it)









For Immediate Release

February 21, 2003

Contact: Jim Harper

(202) 546-3701

http://www.privacilla.org

TSA: Every Traveler A Terror Suspect



Privacilla Comments Sharply Criticize Agency Plans for Database of All 
American Travelers

Washington, D.C. Privacilla.org filed comments with the Transportation 
Security Agency in the Department of Transportation today leveling sharp 
criticism against its plan to create a database of all American travelers. 
The agency plans to exempt the database from even the anemic protections of 
the Privacy Act.

Selected quotes from Privacilla's letter follow:

"The Department is proposing to maintain secret files about all American 
travelers. The files may contain all kinds of travel and transactional 
data. The files may be shared with nearly any type of government authority 
and many private organizations and individuals. The files will not be 
available for review or inspection by the data subjects. Indeed, Americans 
will not be entitled to know whether files about them are being maintained."

"The Department may not create a database of all air travelers in the 
United States, shield the database from public view using national defense 
and law enforcement exceptions to the Privacy Act, and simultaneously claim 
that it is not treating all travelers as suspects. This is a 'suspects' 
database."

"Expansive government databases about the behavior of all Americans 
needlessly degrade the privacy of the law-abiding. They do not prevent 
terrorism or cost-effectively catch crime. They are a poor, but expensive 
substitute for good analysis of information about threats and suspects that 
is already available to law enforcement and national security agencies. 
They are not worth the incursion against Americans' privacy."

"The Department should withdraw this system of records and restructure the 
CAPPS II program consistent with the privacy of law-abiding American 
travelers."

A copy of the full letter [.pdf format] is on the Privacilla Web site at 
http://www.privacilla.org/releases/TSA_comments_02-21-03.pdf.

Privacilla.org (http://www.privacilla.org) is an innovative Web site that 
captures "privacy" as a public policy issue. Privacilla has been described 
as a "privacy policy portal" and an "online think-tank."

####






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