U.S. Airport Screeners Are Watching What You Read

TadW · 09-21-2007, 04:26 AM

Wired writes:

Quote:

International travelers concerned about being labeled a terrorist or drug runner by secret Homeland Security algorithms may want to be careful what books they read on the plane. Newly revealed records show the government is storing such information for years.

And:

Quote:

"They are noting people's race and they are writing down what people read," Scannell said.

It doesn't matter that Gilmore was reading a book about drugs, rather than Catcher in the Rye, according to Scannell. "A book is a book," Scannell said. "This is just plain wrong."

Question is, will their system be able to track what we read on our e-book reader as well?

mikolaj · 09-21-2007, 06:42 AM

That's exactly the kind of thought that I had after seeing this on boingboing.

Maybe scribble "catcher in the rye" on the cover and you won't raise any suspicions?
Wait, but wasn't that book banned a couple of times in the US? It might not be the best idea after all...

RWood · 09-21-2007, 09:29 AM

Banned a few times in the past but now required reading for some schools in the US.

VillageReader · 09-21-2007, 09:33 AM

Given the education level of the screeners I'm wondering how the decision is made on what is 'suspect' reading. Oh, wait, given our paranoia, probably anything not in English.

JSWolf · 09-21-2007, 09:34 AM

I'll just take my Sony Reader and read books they cannot see.

NatCh · 09-21-2007, 12:38 PM

I remember being highly amused some 10~12 years ago to see Soldier of Fortune magazine in the airport newsstand. It's not there any more, but you can still pick up Guns & Ammo as of last Wednesday.

nekokami · 09-21-2007, 01:18 PM

We've known about this for a while, though. There was a BoingBoing article about someone getting stopped for carrying a book with a "suspicious" title months ago. (At least, I think it was on BoingBoing. I can't find it now.)

VillageReader · 09-21-2007, 01:20 PM

Rather than a suspicious title you would think they would worry about some 1000 page honer you could whack someone over the head with.

NatCh · 09-21-2007, 02:32 PM

Please don't encourage them ... or give them any ideas that won't actually make a difference, but look good on paper -- they come up with enough of those on their own.

VillageReader · 09-21-2007, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

Please don't encourage them ... or give them any ideas that won't actually make a difference, but look good on paper -- they come up with enough of those on their own.

I'll give you the short version of one of my many travel tales.

Long before 9/11, trying to mail something in Newark while connecting to Europe. Can't from inside security. I groused, went out, mailed the envelopes, came in, and questioned the guy watching the scanning machines.

Me - "Why can't you mail"

Security expert "big security risk".

Me - "But I'm already IN the secure area, where is the risk".

SE - "No, big risk, can't do it"

Me - "You know, in Heathrow, they consider that big trash can right beside your desk a big risk - you throw stuff on the ground and it gets picked up immediately by the airport cleaning people. Worried about bombs in the trash cans".

The next time I went through security at Newark they had moved the trash can.

NatCh · 09-21-2007, 04:27 PM

See? That's exactly what I mean about giving them ideas!

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09-21-2007, 06:42 AM	#2
mikolaj Member Posts: 21 Karma: 59 Join Date: Sep 2006	That's exactly the kind of thought that I had after seeing this on boingboing. Maybe scribble "catcher in the rye" on the cover and you won't raise any suspicions? Wait, but wasn't that book banned a couple of times in the US? It might not be the best idea after all...

09-21-2007, 09:29 AM	#3
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	Banned a few times in the past but now required reading for some schools in the US.

09-21-2007, 09:33 AM	#4
VillageReader Evangelist Posts: 430 Karma: 2718 Join Date: May 2006 Device: Iliad	Given the education level of the screeners I'm wondering how the decision is made on what is 'suspect' reading. Oh, wait, given our paranoia, probably anything not in English.

09-21-2007, 09:34 AM	#5
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,720 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I'll just take my Sony Reader and read books they cannot see.

09-21-2007, 12:38 PM	#6
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I remember being highly amused some 10~12 years ago to see Soldier of Fortune magazine in the airport newsstand. It's not there any more, but you can still pick up Guns & Ammo as of last Wednesday.

09-21-2007, 01:18 PM	#7
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	We've known about this for a while, though. There was a BoingBoing article about someone getting stopped for carrying a book with a "suspicious" title months ago. (At least, I think it was on BoingBoing. I can't find it now.)

09-21-2007, 01:20 PM	#8
VillageReader Evangelist Posts: 430 Karma: 2718 Join Date: May 2006 Device: Iliad	Rather than a suspicious title you would think they would worry about some 1000 page honer you could whack someone over the head with.

09-21-2007, 02:32 PM	#9
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Please don't encourage them ... or give them any ideas that won't actually make a difference, but look good on paper -- they come up with enough of those on their own.

09-21-2007, 04:27 PM	#11
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	See? That's exactly what I mean about giving them ideas!

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