Edward Hasbrouck of the Identity Project testified yesterday on behalf of the Liberty Coalition at a hearing before the Canadian House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities on Bill C-42, which — as we’ve discussed previously — would override Canada’s “Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act” (PIPEDA) to permit airlines to […]
This morning on the “Today” show, TSA Administrator and former FBI agent John Pistole said that the TSA is “actively rethinking its policy” to require all travelers to submit to either an x-ray virtual strip search or vigorous groping of their breasts and genitals. We aren’t reassured or appeased. The process of “rethinking” described by […]
We’re pleased and excited to see the spontaneous outpouring of grassroots outrage at the latest TSA “Standard Operating Procedures”, which offer would-be air travelers a Hobson’s choice between forms of submission to secret rules, illegitimate authority, and invasion of personal privacy. TSA wants us to choose between a virtual strip-search (x-ray or similar photography through […]
Airlines are moving rapidly toward global industry standards, effective November 1, 2010, that could lead to cancellation of reservations — including already ticketed reservations — without notice to travelers and in violation of the contractual conditions in effect when tickets were sold, and denial of transportation to would-be passengers in violation of airlines’ operating licenses […]
Privacy Act and FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) lawsuit for records of DHS surveillance of travelers filed August 25, 2010, San Francisco, CA Judge Richard Seeborg, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Case number C 10-03793 RS, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California First rulings in our lawsuit over […]
The good news: In one of the first tests of US rules purporting to forbid US citizens from crossing US borders without first obtaining US passports (issued at the government’s apparently standardless discretion), the US Department of State issued “one-time waivers” authorizing the “Iroquois Nationals” lacrosse team to leave the US (and presumably to return, […]
In one of the first statements in the mainstream media to (a) recognize that the essential feature of the TSA’s Secure Flight program is the requirement for domestic US air travelers to receive government permisison to fly and (b) oppose that requirement, The Chicago Tribune has published an op-ed column by Steve Chapman (also appearing […]
Closely following the bad example (controversial both in the US and Australia) of the USA, the government of Australia is moving toward increasing detailed and integrated ID-based surveillance and control of air travelers. As of the first of this month, under the so-called Enhanced Passenger Assessment and Clearance (EPAC) systems, Australian authorities have real-time access […]
Last year the Identity Project was one of more than 30 organizations that filed a joint petition with the DHS requesting a formal rulemaking on use of virtual strip-search machines or “body scanners”, then being referred to by DHS and TSA as “whole body imaging” machines and since re-euphemized as “advanced imaging technology”, as though […]
After years of having our complaints ignored, we were pleased to be invited by the TSA to participate in the ongoing “Multi-Cultural Coalition” organized by the Office of Traveler Specialized Screening and Outreach of the TSA Office of Civil Rights and Liberties, under the direction of the TSA Office of the Special Counselor. In response […]