Cloud over plane screening system Barbara Gengler APRIL 01, 2003
AT the same time as a coalition of privacy groups urged greater scrutiny of a US federal database on airline passenger profiles, the White House CIO questioned whether that data-mining program would be effective.
The coalition, which includes the Electronic Privacy Information Centre, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Centre for Democracy and Technology, sent a letter advising Congress to stop the CAPPS program unless proven to be effective and consistent with privacy principles.
Under the Computer Assisted Passenger Pre screening System (CAPPS II) plan, a nationwide computer system would check such things as credit reports and consumer transactions and compare passenger names with those on government watch lists.
"We write to call your attention to the growing practice of federal agencies purchasing commercial databases for law enforcement purposes," EPIC executive director Marc Rotenberg said in the letter. "It's our view that these activities violate the intent of the Privacy Act and should be suspended."
Meanwhile, Mark Forman, associate director for IT and e-government in the White House's Office of Management and Budget, testified the agency would not let the plan go forward until questions about its effectiveness are answered.
"I've a huge spotlight on that project," Mr Forman, who is often referred to as the White House's CIO, told the Congressional subcommittee on technology and information policy.
"It doesn't make sense for the government to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a new IT system, if it doesn't protect the US against terrorism."
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