TSA Checking Databases long before people fly: NYT
Oct 22, 2013, 1:53 pm
#16
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Oct 22, 2013, 1:59 pm
#17
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Interestingly, virtually all the comments on the NYT site are vehemently anti-TSA on this issue. Perhaps a glimmer of sanity in the making?
Oct 22, 2013, 2:18 pm
#18
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Noticed this week in COS that suddenly the PreCheck line was longer than the 'regular' security line...and the people that are now using it have no idea how to, so literally walking through the screener took longer than the normal process.
Not sure the thought process here. If you're gonna let everyone use it, just change all the lanes and be done with it.
Not sure the thought process here. If you're gonna let everyone use it, just change all the lanes and be done with it.
Oct 22, 2013, 4:12 pm
#19
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I suspect that in short order, you will see the checkpoint distribution shift to more PC lanes and fewer standard lanes. If the goal is to get the vast majority of pax into PC over the next year, there will basically be three portals: pre-check, standard (as we know it now) and the SSSS crowd.
Oct 22, 2013, 4:19 pm
#20
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I suspect that in short order, you will see the checkpoint distribution shift to more PC lanes and fewer standard lanes. If the goal is to get the vast majority of pax into PC over the next year, there will basically be three portals: pre-check, standard (as we know it now) and the SSSS crowd.
Oct 22, 2013, 4:49 pm
#21
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That's the optimistic way of looking at it.
The pessimistic way of looking at it, of course, is that this is a way for rogue TSOs to arbitrarily punish passengers for disrespecting their authority, flying while non-Anglo, etc..
Of course, TSA's lack of transparency means that either possibility could be true, and we have no way of knowing ...
Oct 22, 2013, 4:52 pm
#23
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I suspect that this is simply a way to revoke Pre-Check status for that small number of people who simply refuse to understand how Pre-Check works, consistently violate the obvious rules about prohibited items at the checkpoint, pull the DYKWIA card once too often, and so on. And, obviously, there needs to be a way to note that the status shouldn't be granted again if the passenger re-applies.
That's the optimistic way of looking at it.
The pessimistic way of looking at it, of course, is that this is a way for rogue TSOs to arbitrarily punish passengers for disrespecting their authority, flying while non-Anglo, etc..
Of course, TSA's lack of transparency means that either possibility could be true, and we have no way of knowing ...
That's the optimistic way of looking at it.
The pessimistic way of looking at it, of course, is that this is a way for rogue TSOs to arbitrarily punish passengers for disrespecting their authority, flying while non-Anglo, etc..
Of course, TSA's lack of transparency means that either possibility could be true, and we have no way of knowing ...
Ted Kennedy, Al Gore and a reporter who had written a piece critical of DHS/TSA all 'somehow' ended up on the watch list at one time - no one knew how or why, of course.
Again, IIRC, Kennedy commented at the time that he was lucky he was who he was and had the resources he had to get the 'mistake' fixed, but he wondered what recourse, if any, was available to other victims who might be 'mistakenly' put on the list.
Oct 22, 2013, 5:02 pm
#24
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There have been threads mentioning the public comment period for the rule that was in effect during the month of September. Did anyone here provide comments about this? I was curious whether they would try to act with respect to the comments.
Oct 22, 2013, 5:38 pm
#25
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OK, Here is What The PreCheck Privacy Impacy Assessment Really Says...
Source document, posted right before the shutdown: http://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/fil...k-09042013.pdf
Disclosure: Since I will never buy into the extortion known as "PreCheck," I didn't check out whether or not there was a public comment period on the proposed rules or PIA. Given that this is the TSA, I suspect they simply didn't allow public comments. Noteworthy text:
The NYT author overlooked the last part of the sentence.
It's simply a matter of whether or not you trust the TSA.
It's clear that the "unnamed TSA source" went a lot further than the official Privacy Impact Assessment went. So, since Blogdad Bob was so quick to produce a propaganda product refuting everything in the NYT article, one can reasonable assume that the PIA was a lie and that the source was accurate.
We can only hope that Wikileaks or Snowden has stuff on the TSA. If they do, please release it!
Disclosure: Since I will never buy into the extortion known as "PreCheck," I didn't check out whether or not there was a public comment period on the proposed rules or PIA. Given that this is the TSA, I suspect they simply didn't allow public comments. Noteworthy text:
The assessment will include checks against law enforcement, immigration, and intelligence databases, including a fingerprint-based criminal history records check (CHRC) conducted through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Footnote 4: Convictions and findings of not guilty by reason of insanity are considered disqualifying.
Footnote 4: Convictions and findings of not guilty by reason of insanity are considered disqualifying.
2.1 Identify the information the project collects, uses, disseminates, or maintains. TSA will collect the following information from applicants:
• full legal name and any aliases;
• current residential address;
• mailing address if different than residential address;
• previous residential address;
• date of birth;
• Social Security number (voluntary, but recommended10);
• gender;
• physical description (height; weight; eye color; hair color);
• fingerprints;
• photograph;
• city, state, and country of birth; and
• immigration status and an alien registration number for both naturalized citizens and aliens (if applicable).
TSA will also retain the results of its assessment and supporting information.
• full legal name and any aliases;
• current residential address;
• mailing address if different than residential address;
• previous residential address;
• date of birth;
• Social Security number (voluntary, but recommended10);
• gender;
• physical description (height; weight; eye color; hair color);
• fingerprints;
• photograph;
• city, state, and country of birth; and
• immigration status and an alien registration number for both naturalized citizens and aliens (if applicable).
TSA will also retain the results of its assessment and supporting information.
The FBI will also check fingerprints against its unsolved crimes database, but the result will not be returned to TSA.
2.2 What are the sources of the information and how is the information collected for the project?
TSA will collect information directly from the individual applicant, and from federal agencies whose databases will be checked for the security threat assessment.
2.3 Does the project use information from commercial sources or publicly available data? If so, explain why and how this information is used.
No. TSA does not use commercial data or publicly available data in order to accomplish the security threat assessment.
TSA will collect information directly from the individual applicant, and from federal agencies whose databases will be checked for the security threat assessment.
2.3 Does the project use information from commercial sources or publicly available data? If so, explain why and how this information is used.
No. TSA does not use commercial data or publicly available data in order to accomplish the security threat assessment.
Section 5.0 Data Retention by the Project
The following questions are intended to outline how long the project retains the information after the initial collection.
5.1 Explain how long and for what reason the information is retained.
The length of time TSA will retain information on an individual is based on each individual’s vetting result. Information will be retained as described below:
• Information pertaining to an individual who is not a potential match to a watch list will be retained for one year after the individual has notified TSA that the individual no longer is participating, or seeking to participate, in the TSA Pre Application Program.
• Information pertaining to an individual who may originally have appeared to be a match to a watch list, but who was subsequently determined not to be a match, will be retained for seven years after completion of matching, or one year after the individual has notified TSA that he or she no longer is participating, or seeking to participate, in the TSA Pre Application Program, whichever is later.
• Information pertaining to an individual who is determined to be a positive match to a watch list will be retained for 99 years after completion of matching activity or seven years after TSA learns that the individual is deceased, whichever is earlier.
The following questions are intended to outline how long the project retains the information after the initial collection.
5.1 Explain how long and for what reason the information is retained.
The length of time TSA will retain information on an individual is based on each individual’s vetting result. Information will be retained as described below:
• Information pertaining to an individual who is not a potential match to a watch list will be retained for one year after the individual has notified TSA that the individual no longer is participating, or seeking to participate, in the TSA Pre Application Program.
• Information pertaining to an individual who may originally have appeared to be a match to a watch list, but who was subsequently determined not to be a match, will be retained for seven years after completion of matching, or one year after the individual has notified TSA that he or she no longer is participating, or seeking to participate, in the TSA Pre Application Program, whichever is later.
• Information pertaining to an individual who is determined to be a positive match to a watch list will be retained for 99 years after completion of matching activity or seven years after TSA learns that the individual is deceased, whichever is earlier.
Does the project place limitations on re-dissemination?
No, TSA does not place limitations on re-dissemination of information by the TSC except to the extent match information is Sensitive Security Information (SSI) pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 114(r). Re-dissemination of SSI is limited by the SSI regulation, 49 CFR Part 1520.
No, TSA does not place limitations on re-dissemination of information by the TSC except to the extent match information is Sensitive Security Information (SSI) pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 114(r). Re-dissemination of SSI is limited by the SSI regulation, 49 CFR Part 1520.
We can only hope that Wikileaks or Snowden has stuff on the TSA. If they do, please release it!
Oct 22, 2013, 6:06 pm
#26
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All that data the NSA is collecting will eventually be put to use for things exactly like this. Other agencies won't be able to keep their hands off it. Before long your criticism of the TSA in this forum will get you SSSS'd or worse.
Oct 22, 2013, 6:38 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 23
Saw the Article about TSA
The Europeans are all laughing that we spend so much time and money on grandma and little kids instead of looking more closely at those who might be the real risks.
In Europe I barely get a glance but here at podunk airports they take apart all my luggage. We checked in at a small airport last summer and missed out flight even though we checked in the required hour ahead of time. The line was backed up all the way down the airport and they took apart ALL our bags even though my husband works in a job that requires a clearance.
As a result we missed our connecting flight overseas and had to pay a change fee.
In Europe I barely get a glance but here at podunk airports they take apart all my luggage. We checked in at a small airport last summer and missed out flight even though we checked in the required hour ahead of time. The line was backed up all the way down the airport and they took apart ALL our bags even though my husband works in a job that requires a clearance.
As a result we missed our connecting flight overseas and had to pay a change fee.
Oct 22, 2013, 6:55 pm
#28
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Yep. And we only got that because "Fatherland" and "Motherland" were already taken. Sad.
Oct 22, 2013, 8:25 pm
#30
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Wasn't BZN by any chance? The TSA there were in full gear, somewhat to the shock of the hordes of Yellowstone tourists returning home, not expecting it to take an hour to get through the screening (not including bag check, etc). There was no reason, just a lot of very careful bag inspections. Just because they could. We were even mostly white! (Irony intended).