Confidential Passenger Data Used for Air Security Project

[pandybat]

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NASA documents show that NASA kept Northwest's so-called "passenger name records" until September 2003. Such records typically include passenger credit card numbers, addresses and telephone numbers.

NASA said it used the information to investigate whether "data mining" of the records could improve threat assessments of passengers, according to the agency's written responses to questions. At the time the agency also was exploring other possible projects aimed at improving air security, it said. NASA said no other airlines were involved in the project and that it did not share its data with other parties. The agency said it did not pay for the data.

The company said it did not inform any passengers that it shared data with NASA. It also said it did not believe that the data-sharing violated its privacy policy.

"Our privacy policy commits Northwest not to sell passenger information to third parties for marketing purposes," the company said in its statement Friday . "This situation was entirely different, as we were providing the data to a government agency to conduct scientific research related to aviation security and we were confident that the privacy of passenger information would be maintained."
<snip>
The disclosure of Northwest's participation with NASA comes just four months after JetBlue's admission of involvement in a secret security project conducted by the Pentagon. The airline conceded that it violated its own privacy policy when it turned over records of 1.1 million passengers and the carrier is now being sued by passengers in class action lawsuits.

The Northwest and NASA documents were released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a non-profit organization that advocates privacy rights and open government. The organization, which provided the documents to the Washington Post, said it plans to take legal action this week in an effort to force the government to disclose more information about NASA's secret security project and to investigate the airline's actions.
<snip>
"There doesn't seem to be a classic space exploration endeavor here," said Barry Steinhardt, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's technology and liberty program.

The TSA has said that it is developing CAPPS II as a means to better identify people who might be terrorists. But the program will also be used by law enforcement officials to identify and question suspected violent criminals.

Steinhardt said the Northwest incident, coupled with the JetBlue data sharing, provides Americans with one more reason to be wary about CAPPS II. "What this makes plain is that we cannot believe the assurances we've received that this passenger data will only be used for limited purposes," he said. "Inevitably, it will leak out for other uses."

Thanks President Bush! This all goes hand in hand with the stupid fingerprinting at airports deal. The information can be used for other purposes. This can't be good. Is there going to be nothing we can do to safeguard our privacy? Wouldn't you be mad if you found out your name was on that list?

[luvmetender]

There is no such thing as privacy. The government can find out anything they want to know.

[angusmcgee]

Which would be worse? Losing a little privacy, or having another 9/11 or worse??

You want to blame someone for this? Blame the terrorists.

[pandybat]

But are they allowed to use your information without your consent and for any purpose they want?

[luvmetender]

I don't think it's a question of being "allowed" to. They just can.

[Taxman]

Yet another example of why limited gov't in desirable...

[crazytimes]

I can't believe this! I almost exclusively fly Northwest. I don't my address floating around but I do NOT like my credit card information floating around as I have had some serious problems in the past.

[angusmcgee]

no worries, crazytimes..

They're looking for red flags. Potential threats. Not people who've had credit problems in the past.. If that was the case, we'd all be in jail.

[Taxman]

Maybe I'm going to show my ignorance, but what the heck is NASA going to do with the info anyway? Did the author mean the NSA and just have a typo?

[angusmcgee]

hmm.. good point. He said it a bunch of times..

maybe they're looking to open a Northwestern port on Mars

??

[bradedit]

What is a red flag? Flying private planes? Coming from another country? Who knows?

Terrorists, Terrorists EVERYWHERE!!!

[Taxman]

Originally Posted by bradedit

What is a red flag? Flying private planes? Coming from another country? Who knows?

Terrorists, Terrorists EVERYWHERE!!!

* hands bradedit a Valium *

Breath in, breath out...

I'm sure that the information is out there, it'll just take some ferreting out. Any volunteers (paging Mr. Troll)?

[bradedit]

What are we under another ORANGE alert? Its like the kid who called Wolf, one too many times! Who even changes anything according to those stupid alerts, jus be more aware, AWARE of what???

[angusmcgee]

are those valium taking effect, yet?

There are things going on that we shouldn't know.

[bradedit]

Oh yes more secrecy! Have you taken your anti-nasty pills today, Dave?