| Naples,
FL 34104 |
|
January
23 2006 |
| |
Airline
passengers who buy a pre-approved security pass could have their
credit histories and property records examined as part of the
government's plan to turn over a Registered Traveler program to
private companies, according to the Associated Press.
The Transportation Security Administration said the Registered
Traveler card would allow frequent flyers to go through the
airport security lines more quickly if they pay a fee, pass a
government background check and submit 10 fingerprints. According
to TSA the program will begin June 20.
TSA chief Kip Hawley said the program's benefits could include
passengers not having to take their shoes or coats off or remove
their laptops.
He said the program is intended to let frequent air passengers
avoid delays and to free up screeners to focus on other travelers.
According to the Associated Press, the TSA already has tested
Registered Traveler at five airports beginning in the summer of
2004 through September 2005. Now private companies are asked to
run the program.
Here is the catch. Before companies are allowed to sell Registered
Traveler cards, they have to demonstrate that they can somehow can
figure out whether
applicants are members of terrorist sleeper cells by plowing
through bank records, insurance data and other personal
information.
The AP reported that privacy advocates have criticized the TSA for
obtaining airline passengers' personal data without their
permission or knowledge, and for secretly collecting personal
information on at least 250,000 people.
The agency was using the information to develop a program,
"Secure Flight", that would check airline passengers'
names against terrorist watch lists every time they boarded a
plane, according to the AP report.
Congress has kept a close eye on the use of commercial data in
"Secure Flight" because of concerns commercial data is
often inaccurate and could unfairly tag an innocent person,
according to the AP article..
In 2004, a security breach at the data broker, Choice Point Inc.
resulted in scores of identities being stolen and, separately,
there was a data loss that affected some 1.2 million federal
employees with Bank of America charge cards. It indicated that
there should be a regulation of the commercial data brokering
business, which buys and sells sensitive information about nearly
every adult American.
It was not said anywhere who is a frequent flyer and how it is
determined by TSA. By the way, one entrepreneur is charging $79.95
for the card. How frequent is a frequent flyer? Also, would you
like to pay $79.95 for the convenience of not taking your shoes
off? |
| |
Cynthia
Bercowetz (consumreye@aol.com)
Author/Consumer Advocate
738 Landover Circle, C 102
Naples, FL 34104
Phone : 239-455-1694 |
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