U.S. Airport Screeners Monitor Your Reading
Author: Dave Lewis
“OK sir, step away from the Hustler and put your hands on top of your head!” OK, the likelihood that you’ll hear someone being taken down like that at TSA screening station aren’t very high. But, according to an article from Wired magazine airport screeners are keeping tabs on your reading material. Just for kicks I think I will now travel with dogeared copies of “Catcher in the Rye”, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and Michael Moore’s “Stupid White Men”. Now that will keep ‘em busy for a few.
From Wired:
“There is so much sensitive information in the documents that it is clear that Homeland Security is not playing straight with the American people,” Scannell said.
The documents show a tiny slice of the massive airline-record collection stored by the government, as well as the screening records mined for the controversial Department of Homeland Security passenger-rating system that assigns terrorist scores to travelers entering and leaving the country, including U.S. citizens.
The so-called Automated Targeting System scrutinizes every airline passenger entering or leaving the country using classified rules that tell agents which passengers to give extra screening to and which to deny entry or exit from the country.
The system relies on data ranging from the government’s 700,000-name terrorism watchlist to data included in airline-travel database entries, known as Passenger Name Records, which airlines are required to submit to the government.
On a lighter note there is also the guidlelines for TSA staff (as posted by The Onion)
Tags: TSA, Airport Screeners, Privacy
I am a screener at an airport and I can tell you that you really don’t have to worry about that much. Most of the people on the No Fly List are well known terrorists. I believe that the database does a good job at targeting people that are at a higher risk. You are worried and don’t understand why TSA would have such a thing because you aren’t security-minded. You don’t want to be bothered with the hassle of having to go through security. Its not that the you (and the rest of the american people) have forgotten 9/11, its just that YOU DON’T CARE.
And by the way…I have never been to a security breifing that informed anyone to “keep tabs on reading material.” That has to be one of the craziest things I have ever heard in my life. I could give a damn about someone is reading, unless of course it said something like, “how to make bombs.” Wired magazine is just making shit up.
If you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to worry about.
And most of the things that are floating around about TSA are wrong. People have made all kinds of complaints about having items and money stolen. We would go back to watch the CCTV and watched the “incident.” None of those stories about TSA stealing money and items were true. People just make that kind of shit up because they want something from Uncle Sam, or just because they are in a pissed off mood.
The main reason why TSA doesn’t keep you as safe as you would want to be is because every time TSA tries to put together a new policy all kinds of people make complaints about it. It is the american people’s fault of why TSA’s security policy is not up to par of what it should be.
“So if you are looking for the guilty, you need only to look into the mirror.” – V for Vendetta.
Don’t care? I would invite you to read on.
Now, I’m a fan of the airport security as it is completely necessary. I just find stories like this one very amusing (if not somewhat dark). Whether or not Wired might be making things up is between them and their respective deity. I can safely say I personally have had no problems going through security but you have to admit that a few bad apple stories will paint TSA with a large brush. The analogy “where there is smoke…” comes to mind.
Some people may be pissed off, I will grant you that. But, ever think that the problem with all of these people being pissed off is rooted in something deeper?
And yes, the TSA no fly list is really, er, good at catching bad guys.
All kidding aside, I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
cheers.
I am 60 years old and if a security guard put his.her hands on me to frisk me I would instinctively deck the sucker.
Have we Americans lost all of our guts? If I hear, I’ll go along with it if it keep us safe, one more time. I think I will puke on the person making the idiotic statement.
Yes, police and rules are necessary and have their place but America is so close to being a police state and not a Republic any longer that it is frightening.
People may no longer walk down a country loane in this country unless they a certain amount of dollars in their pocket.
Yes, kiddies, we are a republic and not a democracy.
The definition of a democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding what to have for supper. Catia – granny blowing off some steam