Homeland Security Test at T.F. Green Opposed by RI ACLU
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
The ACLU of Rhode Island has raised concerns about a decision by T.F. Green Airport officials to participate in a Department of Homeland Security field test that is designed to expand a behavior detection program that would attempt to determine travelers motives of mal-intent by monitoring mundane actions.
“It’s difficult to imagine how this experiment, using actors to mimic questionable behaviors suggesting possible ‘mal-intent,’ can provide any meaningful information beyond how skillful the subjects are as actors. Presumably TSA has concluded that the inability of remote operators to determine whether a person has ‘strong body odor’ or sweaty palms will not unfairly skew the results,” said Steven Brown, ACLU of RI executive director in a letter to R.I. Airport Corporation President Kelly Fredericks.
The current TSA program uses thousands of behavior detection officers in airports all across the country. The field test is known as the "Centralized Hostile Intent" will use actors to mimic behaviors in the screening area of T.F. Green Airport in order to test whether the officers can identify behavioral indicators by monitoring live video feed.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe ACLU learned of the field test when a TSA privacy impact assessment was disclosed in June.
Issues With the Test
In the letter, Brown noted that TSA's monitoring activities have been criticized by politicians, scientists and privacy advocates as flawed and wasteful.
In 2013, a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office asked TSA to limit funding to behavior detection activities after finding no scientifically validated evidence of for using these indicators.
In 2012, over 30 Logan Airport participating officials found that the program had raised racial profiling issues.
Related Articles
- NEW: ACLU, Advocacy Groups Battle RIDE Over RI NECAP Scores
- ACLU: Dept of Ed Admits NECAP Does Not Measure College Readiness
- RI ACLU Finds Suspension Discrepancy for Black vs. White Students
- TONIGHT: Fund for Community Progress Honors GoLocalProv + ACLU
- NEW: ACLU Calls for Investigation of Cranston Police Dept. Practices
- NEW: RI ACLU Files New Motion Against Board of Education
- NEW: RI ACLU Announces Third Lawsuit Against RI Education Board
- LIVE STREAM- RI ACLU Press Conference- Youth Suspension Implications
- NEW: Letter to ACLU Claims Pool Closing Violates City Charter
- NEW: ACLU Files Lawsuit Against Rhode Island Board of Education
- NEW: Rhode Island ACLU Blasts Board of Education NECAP Vote
- NEW: ACLU Files Suit Over Medical Marijuana Discrimination
- NEW: ACLU Sues Providence Police for Violation at Raimondo Fundraiser
- ACLU of RI Files Lawsuit That Challenges 106-Year-Old Statute
- New ACLU Report: Racial Disparities In RI School Suspensions Highest in Decade
- ACLU of RI Supports Supreme Court Decision On Hotels Giving Police Guest Lists
- NEW: Providence Sued by ACLU Over Musician’s Ability to Play in Public
- RI ACLU Asks Fung for Full Report on Cranston Police Dept. Investigation
- NEW: RI ACLU Questions “Superficial” Motel 6 Guest List Change
- ACLU Blasts Motel 6 Agreement To Share Guest List With Warwick PD
- NEW: RI ACLU Announces Racial Disparities Increasing During Motor Vehicle Stops
- ACLU Questions Kennedy Plaza Security System
- Racial Disparities Report by RI ACLU Called “Extraordinary” by Community Leaders
- ACLU Report: RI Elementary Schools Promote Gender Stereotypes
- RI ACLU Asks Cranston City Council to Further Investigate Police Practices
