U.S. Government is planning to unveil a new system called CAPPS II, which would require background checks on everyone who buys a ticket for a commercial flight, including checking credit reports, banking and criminal records. Passengers would then be assigned a threat level – red, yellow or green – which would help authorities determine a passenger’s risk potential. Congress ordered the system after the September 11 attacks.
Delta Air Lines plans to release a soft launch of the system at three undisclosed airports beginning next month.
Privacy advocates are concerned with the potential for databases mix-ups that could lead to innocent people being branded security risks.
“This system threatens to create a permanent blacklisted underclass of Americans who cannot travel freely,” said Katie Corrigan, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union.
Advocates of CAPPS II say the system will identify terrorists while ensuring law-abiding citizens aren’t given unnecessary scrutiny.
(via The Associated Press)
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