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from the come-fly-the-discriminatory-skies dept.
TechDirt reports
Thanks to FOIA requests (and lawsuits), the ACLU has gathered enough documents to provide a comprehensive report [PDF] on the worthlessness of the TSA's "Behavioral Detection" program. Meant to give the agency a better way of proactively thwarting acts of terrorism, the program instead opts for lazy profiling, dubious readings of behavioral cues, and junk science.
The documents[1] show the evolution of the behavior detection program and make clear the extent to which it is a program of surveillance of unsuspecting travelers based on unreliable indicators. "Behavior detection officers", some of them dressed in plain clothes, scrutinize travelers at airports for over 90 behaviors that the TSA associates with stress, fear, or deception, looking for what the TSA calls signs of "mal-intent". The reliability of these so-called indicators is not supported by the scientific studies in the TSA files. The behavior detection officers may then engage travelers in "casual conversation" that is actually an effort to probe the basis for any purported signs of deception. When the officers think they perceive those behaviors, they follow the travelers, subject them to additional screening, and at times bring in law enforcement officers who can investigate them further.
The TSA has repeatedly claimed that the behavior detection program is grounded in valid science, but the records that the ACLU obtained show that the TSA has in its possession a significant body of research that contradicts those claims.
[1] Duplicate link in TFA.
[Ed. Note: Non mobile link here to source article here.]
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 12 2017, @10:15PM
Always heroically standing up for the terrorists when no one else will!
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday February 12 2017, @10:28PM
There is no such thing as terrorism.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 13 2017, @03:15AM
That's too broad a statement.
That said, the "terrorism experts", specifically those affiliated with Lamestream Media, get it wrong about 80 percent of the time.
The Orlando shooter was just a gay guy who was mixed up about his sexuality.
He claimed allegiance to both al-Qaeda and Hezbollah (2 groups that hate each other's guts).
An "expert" who knew anything about terrorism would have spotted that at 200 paces.
The dude wasn't making a political statement; he was just having a really bad day and had easy access to firearms.
...and, apparently, didn't have easy enough access to mental health professionals.
Thanks, Ronnie Raygun.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 13 2017, @04:58PM
"and, apparently, didn't have easy enough access to mental health professionals."
because ssri pushers have been so successful in the fight against "gun violence".
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Monday February 13 2017, @10:24AM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 13 2017, @04:13PM
The attitude displayed by grandparent poster is unfortunately all too common. A danger doesn't "exist" until it happens to them personally. "Ignorance is bliss."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 13 2017, @07:03PM
Of course terrorists exist. Just the damage they manage to inflict is quite insignificant. There are plenty of boring everyday things which cause much more mayhem. You're much more likely to die because a filing cabinet falls over you than because somebody decides to blow you up...
So it's good to get worked up about some things but it's also good to carefully and logically choose the things you worry about.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 12 2017, @10:37PM
What an interesting comment! Would you mind if I and a couple of my friends just followed you for a while?
(Score: 4, Insightful) by pe1rxq on Sunday February 12 2017, @11:16PM
They stand up for everyone. And that includes suspected terrorists. Especially when they are suspect for no good reason at all.
And that is a good thing.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 12 2017, @11:37PM
Would you feel better if the TSA used Phrenology instead?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 13 2017, @12:44AM
What is wrong with using astrology and/ numerology??
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 13 2017, @03:50AM
They'd be much better than the methods currently in use?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 13 2017, @06:11AM
“The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one’s time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.” — H. L. Mencken.