BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006

Subject: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: Amos
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 11:11 AM

Electronic Frontier Foundation Media Release

For Immediate Release: Thursday, November 30, 2006

Contact:

David Sobel
    Senior Counsel
    Electronic Frontier Foundation
    [e-mail]
    [phone] x10

American Travelers to Get Secret 'Risk Assessment' Scores

EFF Fights Huge Data-Mining Program Set for Rollout on U.S.
Borders

Washington, D.C. - An invasive and unprecedented
data-mining system is set to be deployed on U.S. travelers
Monday, despite substantial questions about Americans'
privacy. In comments sent to the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) today, the Electronic Frontier Foundation
(EFF) asked the agency to delay the program's rollout until
it makes more details available to the public and addresses
critical privacy and due process concerns.

The Automated Targeting System (ATS) will create and assign
"risk assessments" to tens of millions of citizens as they
enter and leave the country. Individuals will have no way
to access information about their "risk assessment" scores
or to correct any false information about them. But once
the assessment is made, the government will retain the
information for 40 years -- as well as make it available to
untold numbers of federal, state, local, and foreign
agencies in addition to contractors, grantees, consultants,
and others.

"The government is preparing to give millions of
law-abiding citizens 'risk assessment' scores that will
follow them throughout their lives," said EFF Senior
Counsel David Sobel. "If that wasn't frightening enough,
none of us will have the ability to know our own score, or
to challenge it. Homeland Security needs to delay the
deployment of this system and allow for an informed public
debate on this dangerous proposal."

Earlier this month, EFF's FLAG Project submitted a Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA) request to DHS seeking more
details about the ATS data-mining program, but the agency
has not yet disclosed the requested information.

For EFF's full comments to DHS:
http://www.eff.org/Privacy/ats/ats_comments.pdf

For the DHS Federal Register notice announcing ATS:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/06-9026.htm

For this release:
http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2006_11.php#005030

---

This smells like another constitutional insult in the making to me. It always surprises me when some *&^%$ in the government dreams up a new way to invade citizens' privacy just because he can. There oughta, I say there oughta be a law!

A

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 01:25 PM

NBC with Brian Williams did a segment on this last night. They interviewed several 'officials' and the word was that if the traveler challenges a ruling, he/she is given SOME of the criteria they used to ban his travel, but not all.

Among the criteria - and I don't know the meaning and weight of each - are paying for someone else's travel, method of payment, one-way travel, seat placement, choice of meals... I don't know what all.

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: DougR
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 01:29 PM

Yeah. I'm scared to death.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 01:30 PM

You should try jumping through all the hoops non US citizens have to jump through, just for the privelege of coming to the US and spending their money!
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: dianavan
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 02:48 PM

'The Automated Targeting System (ATS) will create and assign
"risk assessments" to tens of millions of citizens as they
enter and leave the country.'

As they enter the country?

Does that mean they have a right to track citizens of other countries as well?

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 05:10 PM

U.S. rates travelers for terror risk
The Associated Press (at MSNBC)
Updated: 7:10 p.m. CT Dec 1, 2006

"… millions of Americans who travel internationally have been assigned risk assessments over the last four years without their knowledge.

"… … …

" Almost every person entering and leaving the United States by air, sea or land is assessed based on ATS' analysis of their travel records and other data, including items such as where they are from, how they paid for tickets, their motor vehicle records, past one-way travel, seating preference and what kind of meal they ordered.

"The use of the program on travelers was quietly disclosed earlier this month when the department put a notice detailing ATS in the Federal Register, a fine-print compendium of federal rules. The few civil liberties lawyers who had heard of ATS and even some law enforcement officers said they had thought it was only used to screen cargo."

John

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: Greg F.
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 06:35 PM

Go back to sleep, Douggie - until it's you they haul you off the plane, or deny you re-entry & strand you in a foreign country, that is.

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 07:08 PM

DougR is right Greg. He's perfectly safe. After all, the Bush administration is hardly likely to upset his last remaining supporter.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 07:38 PM

But isn't it a bit suspicious for any real American to wish to leave the country anyway?

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 07:54 PM

QUOTE
"… millions of Americans who travel internationally have been assigned risk assessments over the last four years without their knowledge.

"… … …

" Almost every person entering and leaving the United States by air, sea or land is assessed based on ATS' analysis of their travel records and other data, including items such as where they are from, how they paid for tickets, their motor vehicle records, past one-way travel, seating preference and what kind of meal they ordered."
UNQUOTE

Ha! Now we know why Molly Meldrum was refused entry!

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 11:02 PM

Ya know, just because you CAN doesn't automatically mean that you SHOULD.

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: Greg F.
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 06:07 PM

Indeed, Kevin- sort of a variation on a theme by Phil Ochs:

Well, there really is no need to travel to these evil lands
Yes, and though the list grows larger you must try to understand
Try hard not to worry if someday you should hear
That the whole world is off limits, visit Disneyland this year

William Worthy isn't worthy to enter our door
Went down to Cuba, he's not American anymore
But somehow it is strange to hear the State Department say
You are living in the free world, in the free world you must stay

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: dianavan
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 06:59 PM

Well, DougR, you don't have to be scared because obviously you have no interest in leaving your totally familiar surroundings. God help the American that travels to other countries to broaden their horizons.

If you travel outside the U.S. you may come into contact with journalism instead of propaganda. You might actually hear someone criticize Bush and his policies. God forbid, you might find out that the U.S. is not as free as you think it is.

Thats right, DougR, you have nothing to fear so roll over and go back to sleep.

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 08:04 PM

Don't worry, comrades, come the Revolution, DougR will be one of the first up against the wall...

What's that you say? 1776? Oh shit.....

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 10:48 PM

There are "Folks" on this board, who never travel more than one state beyound their map's color-zone.

However, given their political view....I am sure that they are under "review."

It is no "secret file" it is something to do in the meanwhile.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 10:19 PM

"Horsepucky!"

Subject: RE: BS: Secret Files on U.S. Travelers Nov 2006
From: Folkiedave
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 05:04 AM

IS posting on Mudcat part of the criteria?

Should we be told?