Briefs

Internet News (March 4, 2003) reports on a controversial pilot program for airlines known as the Computer-Assisted Passenger Pre-Screening System II program (CAPPS II).

The new system, which will be administered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will scan government and commercial databases for potential terrorist threats when a passenger makes flight reservations.

Under the program, airline passengers will be required to provide their full name plus address, phone number and date of birth. Once that information is entered, the airline computer reservation system will automatically link to the TSA for a computer background check on the traveler that can include a credit, banking history and criminal background check.

The TSA will then assign a red, yellow or green score to the passenger based on the agency's risk assessment of the traveler. The score color will then be encrypted on the passenger's boarding pass. A green score will allow passengers to proceed through the usual airport security checks. Passengers with a yellow score will be subjected to additional security checks and a red score will ground the passenger.

Lockheed Martin has developed the program technology infrastructure and will administer it for TSA through a five-year, $12.8 million task order contract. IBM is developing the front-end architecture while Delta Airlines (Quote, Company Info) will begin testing the program later this month at three undisclosed airports. TSA will conduct the actual risk assessments.

Privacy and civil liberties groups, however, were quick to criticize the CAPPS II program.

PrivacyActivism, a coalition of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, the Cyber Privacy Project, and CASPIAN, has filed comments with the Department of Transportation, strongly opposing the CAPPS II proposal.

Here is the full story.