Alaskans Sue TSA To Release Secure Flight Data
This is a huge story that I’m surprised isn’t given more press - some Alaskan residents are suing the TSA to force them to release the data they’ve collected as part of the anti-terrorism Secure Flight program. The TSA has been denying them these records and even deleting them, that is, until a district court ordered TSA to stop. One man claims, rightfully so in my opinion, that if you’re denied access to air travel you’re effectively exiled, it’s not like you can cab it from Alaska to… anywhere. Honestly, I don’t see why TSA has a problem with this unless they’re doing something illegal.
The TSA had not notified the public before contracting with a private company to add more information to the database. The expanded records included information such as full names, phone numbers, dates of birth and possibly other personal information, the lawsuit says.
The Government Accountability Office, an investigative arm of Congress, concluded earlier this year that the TSA violated the law when it did not fully inform the public about the scope and methods of its data collection.
I look forward to seeing how this develops.