Tag Archives: Do Not Track

Uncategorized

You can just say ‘no’ to TSA’s electronic strip-search

By John M. Simpson

If you fly you’ve probably encountered the Transportation Security Administration’s highly intrusive and probably ineffective backscatter body scanners. Some security experts describe the technology that produces detailed, three-dimensional images of you as the equivalent of “a physically invasive strip-search.”

Privacy considerations aside, there is the strong possibility that the backscatter x-ray machines may subject us to unnecessary radiation.  That might be particularly threatening to frequent air travelers, flight crews, and individuals with greater sensitivity to radiation, such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, and cancer patients.

Our friends at EPIC are really on top of this issue having filed suit to block further deployment of the machines and are tracking the latest developments. But, what can you to do?

Just say, “no!”  

TSA Search

The TSA doesn’t advertise the fact prominently, but you can opt of the invasive electronic strip-search.  That’s what I always do. If everybody did, the TSA would stop deploying the gadgets and go back to simply using metal detectors all the time.

I’m writing this post at 36,000 feet, flying back to Los Angeles from Washington, DC where I was representing Consumer Watchdog at the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialog. (More about TACD in another post).

I’ve just been through the TSA’s checkpoint at Dulles International airport.  The backscatter machine was being used. A metal detector with a TSA employee blocking it was right beside the backscatter machine. I dutifully removed everything from pockets, took off my shoes (no holes in socks) and belt (pants didn’t fall down). I put my laptop in a separate bin and made my way toward the machines.
   
Everyone ahead of me that I observed went through the backscatter machine.  Then a woman two people ahead of me took a little longer for whatever reason than the norm.

The woman directly in front of me was sent through the metal detector.  I stepped up for my turn, hoping to keep things simple and also be sent through the metal detector. It was not to be.  I was motioned toward the electronic strip-search.

Now I’m not particularly squeamish about nakedness. When I was a college kid I used to go skinny dipping all the time.  But the thing is, I did it when I decided to do it.  I didn’t strip when the government told me to do it and I don’t intend to do so now.

So, I pointed at the backscatter machine and politely said to the TSA lady, “I’m sorry, but I don’t do that.  I’ll need a male assist.”

I’ve been through this a lot of times and know the drill.

A male TSA agent came over and escorted me past the baggage scanner and had me point to my luggage. He asked me not to touch it and carried it to the area where they perform pat-downs.  He professionally and courteously explained what he was going to do, that he would use the back of his hands when he touched “sensitive areas.” He was wearing blue latex gloves. He then asked if I wanted the screening in a private area.

I told him no, as I always do, because the more people see that the pat-down alternative to an electronic strip-search is no big deal, then the more of us will eschew the  strip search.

The whole thing slowed my clearance by about five minutes which is trivial.  Next time I might have a little fun and ask if I can have a female assist.

Just kidding.  The important thing is you can just say “no” to the electronic strip-search and you should.

Economy

Have We Reached The Tipping Point On Online Privacy?

Over the weekend The Los Angeles Times published a new poll suggesting that we may have reached the tipping point on online privacy, finally forcing policymakers to take notice and react to ease people’s concerns.

The USC Dornsife/Times poll found a stunning 82 percent of Californians say they are very or somewhat concerned about “companies collecting your personal information when you visit their websites or use their services.”

The new poll confirms a Consumer Watchdog’s poll findings nearly two years ago when we were battling to raise privacy issues as a priority that 84 percent of Americans favor preventing online companies from tracking personal information or web searches without your explicit approval. Ninety percent supported more laws to protect privacy.

The most damning aspect of the USC Dornsife/Times poll is the lack of trust shown in some of the tech world’s biggest brands.  Respondents  were asked to rate six on whether they trusted the companies to be responsible with personal information, with 0 meaning no trust and 10 meaning complete trust.

In a clear blow to the tech giants, none scored above 5.  Apple was highest with a score of 4.6, followed by Google at 3.8, LinkedIn at 3.0, YouTube (owned by Google) at 2.8.  Facebook was 2.7, just ahead of last place Twitter, 2.4.

Those are not numbers that any company who relies on consumers can possibly be pleased with, no matter how you spin it.  As Linda DiVall, president of American Viewpoint, the firm conducting the poll, told the Times:

“I thought the ratings were strikingly low. If I were involved with the branding image of those companies, I would be very concerned.”

That may be a reason industry is scrambling to appear more privacy friendly. A number of key players are participating in the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) effort to set a standard for a Do Not Track mechanism and what the obligations would be for a site to be compliant if it receives a DNT message.  Yahoo! last week said it will honor the standard and Google has finally agreed to offer the DNT option its browser, Chrome.  Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer already give users the option; the problem is that websites are under no obligation to honor the message.

But, as I said, I think we may have reached a tipping point on privacy.  In February the White House offered its privacy proposal, calling for a Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights.  Last week the Federal Trade Commission released its privacy report and strongly endorsed Do Not Track.

Conservative Rep. Joe Barton, (R-TX) told the Times that the poll “reaffirms my opinion that privacy is a big deal – and it’s becoming a bigger deal.” He is partnering with liberal Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) in sponsoring privacy legislation.

Silicon Valley’s premier companies have earned our distrust by continually playing fast and loose with our information. Google unilaterally changed its privacy policy and announced it will combine data across all its services.  It was then caught deliberately circumventing the Safari browser’s privacy settings. The point is that we’ve reached a tipping point, precisely because the companies have continued to invade our privacy.

We need to continue pushing back and demanding action from policymakers until we finally have regained control of our information. FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz got it right when he said nobody has the right to put something on your computer without your permission. Now we need to make sure the Administration, Congress and the FTC enact laws and regulations to protect our privacy. If they don’t, in California at least, there is another option: a ballot initiative in 2014.