[Scan-DC] New York Times OP/ED: Fast Track at the Airport

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>From todays New York Times OP/ED section. Page A26 Column 1
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June 23, 2004
Fast Track at the Airport

The idea behind the government's proposed "registered traveler"
program is simple enough. If you agree to submit to a government
background check to get a special ID card that contains a reading of
your iris and fingerprints so your identity can be verified, you'll
have access to a faster lane at airport security checkpoints. But, of
course, nothing involving the federal government and large databases
ever turns out to be simple. That is why the Transportation Security
Administration is only now preparing to test the program at five
airports, even though the idea was first floated in the immediate
aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Plenty of business travelers would presumably be happy to surrender
some privacy in exchange for fewer hassles at the airport, so there
aren't likely to be many complaints about the intrusiveness of the
program. A similar program at some border crossings is already in
place.

A 90-day test starts in July; airlines hope to enroll up to 10,000
frequent fliers. But before the program can expand nationwide, the
government must address two concerns. One involves privacy rights, the
other the overall flow of passengers.

Registered travelers may be willing to let the government sift through
their backgrounds so their identities can be verified at airports, but
the government cannot use this authorization as a blank check to use a
person's data for other purposes. Nor should the program itself be
deployed elsewhere, becoming an overarching security screen in public
spaces. Participants should be allowed unfettered access to their
records and a form of appeal if the information is wrong.

The government's track record in this area is not heartening. Congress
ordered a far more intrusive and compulsory computer-profiling system
to screen all ticket buyers. A General Accounting Office report last
March found that after many delays, the Transportation Security
Administration had not yet addressed seven of the eight issues
identified by Congress as vital — among them privacy and accuracy. It
now looks as if the registered traveler program may be operational
long before computer-profiling is done of all passenger manifests, but
the government must not be lulled into thinking that because this is a
voluntary program, it can be lax about privacy.

As for the benefits, travelers have to realize that joining the
program won't be like getting E-ZPass for the turnpike. They will
still go through security — shoes, change and laptops in the bin, the
whole routine — but will be spared from additional screening unless
they trigger an alarm for some reason. They will presumably gain
precious minutes from being in a line, like some frequent-flier lines
already in place, that moves faster simply because everyone knows the
drill. The program could be especially beneficial for the people
routinely picked for extra scrutiny because of things like their names
or travel patterns.

Airports are starting to be awfully crowded again, and in some
terminals the security agency's resources are stretched pretty thin.
This raises the other danger posed by the registered traveler program.
Those of us who choose not to register shouldn't be discriminated
against with even longer waits that would make the fast lanes look
more appealing.

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