TSA and Identity Theft?

[mailin 0]

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/090903_ns_sept11.html

September 10, 2003 — Millions of dollars have been spent to improve airport security. But how much has been accomplished? And what remains to be done?
Are we safer today? The answer from most experts is yes. But, there are holes in the system, probably always will be, and no amount of money will plug them.

Today there are nearly 50,000 government screeners working at the nation's airports. They are better trained and better paid than their predecessors. They are also instructed to be nice.

Terminals are now populated with explosive detection machines. They cost about a million apiece. Critics say they give false readings as much as 25-percent of the time.

Each of the posts used to support an explosive trace detection machine. At 40-grand a pop, they were rushed into place to meet a year-end deadline mandated by Congress. Many are now being phased out. They were lowered from their perches here because people kept bumping their heads on them.

Despite the problems, most experts believe that aviation security is much improved even if passengers tire of taking their shoes off.

"I think they try. I don't think they succeed as well as they ought to given the massive amounts of money spent since 9-11," said Aaron Gellman, Northwestern University Aviation Expert.

The government has spent over nine-billion dollars on aviation security since 9-11. The spending is now slowing. And consultants like Gellman say it should all be measured by cost-benefit and going for better technology.

The TSA says it is working on new technology, but much of it remains enormously expensive. Apart from more people and equipment, another new security method is being launched, and its techniques have already raised red flags.

At several unidentified test airports around the country, the TSA is testing what it calls CAPS II. Computer assisted passenger pre-screening. When you buy your ticket, you're asked for your name, your address, your date of birth and your telephone number.

That information is run through commercial databases and is meant to establish that you are who you say you are. Then it is fed to other government databases, law enforcement, possibly intelligence. A color code response that you won't see comes back. Green means no problem. Yellow means questions. Red means you're not going anywhere.

"I use my credit card all the time here. they read the data off that, so I'm not worried about it," said Jerry Brown, airline passenger.

"I'm very much in favor of anything that makes us feel secure while we're flying," said Maeve Koleno, airline passenger.

"Even people who don't have anything to hide shouldn't be treated as suspects by their government simply because they want to get on an airplane," said Ed Yohnka, ACLU of Illinois.

Groups as varied as the ACLU to the Christian right don't like CAPS II. The prevalence of identity theft, and the probability of even a small error rate, they say could put hundreds, if not thousands of passengers on a blacklist that would take time to challenge. Because of complaints, the TSA has canceled plans to use medical records and credit histories in CAPS II.

"But the problem is they could change their mind, and they wouldn't have to tell the public," said Yohnka.

Others like Gellman say what was reasonable before 9-11 may not be reasonable today, and that yielding personal information is a small price to pay for security. The TSA says it is sensitive to privacy issues, but is determined to move forward with CAPS II.

Arianna Frances

[bmcd308 0]

>>"I'm very much in favor of anything that makes us feel secure while we're flying," said Maeve Koleno, airline passenger. <<

This is the type of idiotic statement that is allowing our country to degrade. People want to "feel" safer. They don't care if they are safer or not. This sentiment comes up in all types of security vs. safety debates, including the gun control debate.

Everyone should have to read Atlas Shrugged before being allowed to vote. That would make me feel safer.

Brent

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www.jumpelvis.com

[Guest]

CAPS is an extension of a computer system called TECS II that has been in place for at least ten years that I know of and is used for screening passengers and cargo at ports of entry.

CAPS will extend this scrutiny to the domestic area.

There's no telling what they'll decide to look at.

Did you buy a six-pack last night? Have you been moving around a lot lately? Late paying your electric bill? Well, then, you're not going to Rantoul, at least not by air.

And in the end, are we really any safer? Somehow, I seriously doubt it.

The gov't has always looked to technology to solve problems, but there are always unintended consequences as the so-called "solutions" generates problems of their own.

mh

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[kallend 2,147]

Quote

"I'm very much in favor of anything that makes us feel secure while we're flying," said Maeve Koleno, airline passenger.

It's all about appearances and how it makes us feel.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Aviatrr 0]

Quote

CAPS will extend this scrutiny to the domestic area.

There's no telling what they'll decide to look at.

Actually, it's quite frightening what they are proposing. The CAPPS II system will check your banking records, credit report, criminal record, and medical records. You will then be assigned a status. They are Green, Yellow, and Red. Green means you pass through security with no additional screening beyond the "normal". Yellow means you get additional screening. You get searched and all your bags checked. Who knows what else. Red means you are not allowed to fly. Period. Ever. Once you attain a rating, you will always retain that rating or a more restrictive rating.

They don't even specify WHAT will cause a Red or Yellow. Maybe if they see a large deposit in one of your bank accounts a couple days before you fly(like you just sold a house), you get tagged as a potential threat. Maybe if they see that you have had a lot of hits on your credit report lately(maybe you've been looking at cars, and seeing what interest rate various places can get you), you get tagged. Maybe you have a bunch of speeding tickets, and you get tagged. No telling. They won't say WHAT will tag people. Of course, it's a "security issue" if they disclose what will tag people.

I, personally, think this is BS. Everytime you fly, there will be a hit on your credit report....so if you plan to buy a house, don't fly much before you apply for a loan!

Mike

[dbattman 0]

This has been going around for over a year. Delta got slammed with a boycott after agreeing to help TSA test their new CAPPS II system. (www.boycottdelta.com).

Now they are trying to do this through travel databases like SABRE. CENDANT is their new colloborator (www.dontspyonus.com).

JetBlue was put on the firing line after they admitted that they turned over private info for over 1 million passengers to a government contractor to use to test one of these systems.

You want airline security? Let the passengers carry pepper spray. Someone steps out of line, juice them and strap them into their chair. Just keep an ample supply of duck tape in the galley.

[freeflir29 0]

There's only one answer to hijackings...........