Surveillance: Now It's Getting Personal
Last weekend's Washington Post story about the U.S. government collecting surprisingly personal data about millions of American travelers -- and saving the information in a database for years -- was chilling. Of course, as the story pointed out, the Automated Targeting System (as it's called) has been used to screen passengers at U.S. border points since the mid-1990s. But few of us were aware of just how detailed this record-keeping has become. I mean, they're checking what books we're reading?
It didn't help that I read the article a few days after seeing the German film "The Lives of Others," about life in Cold War-era East Germany and the secret police's surveillance of that country's citizens in the 1980s. Fantastic movie, if you haven't seen it -- not just for the gripping plot and human drama, but for the wider implications about corruption and power, and what happens when governments have free rein to spy on their citizens, and whether people can really change. But I digress.
The facts about our own government's detailed surveillance of travelers came to light when a group of civil liberties activists requested copies of their records, and found notes about a book one of them had been carrying (a tome on marijuana) and flashlights decorated with marijuana leaf symbols that they'd carried. Remember, these people were not violating any laws or involved in any crimes. They were simply traveling.
What do you think? Should we be worried about this violation of our privacy, or is this level of scrutiny necessary to protect our country from terrorists? If the latter, shouldn't we at least be aware of what's happening? Then we could at least cover our books with plain brown wrappers.
By K.C. Summers |
September 25, 2007; 12:02 PM ET
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K.C. Summers
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Posted by: db | September 25, 2007 1:00 PM
I wonder if the Federal Government has video of Sen Larry Craig's... er dalliance in Minneapolis? FOIA away!
Posted by: Roofelstoon | September 25, 2007 1:33 PM
I find this chilling....unless you have some other reason to assume that something isn't kosher, really there is no excuse for this. And even then it's questionable. I could be a college student majoring in Politics and doing a paper on U.S. reactions to terrorist plots and be carrying my books home to work on it. This could get me on a watchlist, apparently. Scary stuff.
I agree with db's last point, there.
Posted by: | September 25, 2007 2:14 PM
It's time to start putting modified Big Brother stickers on out luggage
Big Brother is Watching All of Us...but Who's Watching Big Brother?
Posted by: Pleated Pants | September 25, 2007 4:33 PM
If they were offered the chance to go to the front of the security line and be guaranteed an exit row or first class seat, most people would smile into the camera and shout out their social security number.
Americans value convenience more than civil liberties.
Posted by: Dan | September 26, 2007 2:28 PM
This program was going through a legislative reauthorization a few weeks ago, and at least one of the other travel newsletters I read provided a means for notifying our federal legislators what our thoughts are regarding the program. My particular concern was the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) exemption for the legislation. I can't find the newsletter which warned about this government practice (and which provided the specific federal legislation identifier for reference), but I'm fairly certain the legislation is still in a comment period. I suggest you follow the lead of other concerned citizens regarding this attack on our rights, and get the word out that we need to let our legislators know how we feel.
Posted by: Frank Batha | September 26, 2007 5:30 PM
Another point of concern is that they are keeping this in a computer database and even DHS databases are not secure. All this information is available to hackers around the world sooner or later.
Posted by: Dublin Traveler | September 27, 2007 9:43 AM
Good site! I'll stay reading! Keep improving!
Posted by: Nika | November 10, 2007 9:12 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
yes, we should be worried. It is easy to make wrong assumptions based on seemingly interraled facts. And it assumes guilt not innocence,