Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Politics In General Another Government "Security" Database

From "Ms. Smith" @ Networkworld 8/9/11

http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/privacy-groups-protest-massive-dhs-database-s

Been an interesting week. An old chestnut was thrown back into the fire with the "FBI Letter" directing vendors of "survivalist equipment" to seek ID from purchasers - particulary those doing so in cash - resurfacing from the depths of 2007.

Now DHS is contemplating implementing a copy of the FBI's "Terrorist Screening Database". I suspect the
"terror" will come if/when DHS gets its way and this demonstrably faulty Dbase is exempted from Privacy Act provisions.

The TSD is well documented as having multiple faults. One can only shudder to think what happens when DHS - you know those folks that feel grabbing the crotches of 90-year old cripples and sexually fondling babies, while stealing their possessions is OK - get their hands on a massive database of of names/addresses/birthdates and biometric data. Given past performance, can we be certain its personnel won't run wild with travelers' identities ?

If DHS gets its way, no one will know if they're on the "list" and have no recourse to correct any identity mistakes either. Given how bureaucracies adore/revere "official lists", is the certainity of abuse worth the "perceived" safety it might confer ? >Mech

'
I hope the policies of George W. Bush and his cronies are making you feel more secure.

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I didn't like the "policy" from the outset - regardless of which administration started it. But giving unchecked access to vital personal data to the idiots in DHS is akin to giving an arsonist a can of gasoline ! >Mech

Funny: You can ask them if you are in the database, but they will never tell you if you are. But I bet you a quarter that there is one way to make sure you ARE on the list, and that is to ask! If you weren't on there before, you certainly will be.

And I suspect the article is mistaken when it assumes that government employees are not in the database. I would bet another quarter that every government employee and every member or ex-member of the armed forces is also in that database. All that data is already available to them in easy-to-incorporate electronic forms. Why would they not add it in to their giant DHS database?

Exactly PIA ! >Mech