Surveillance technologies present more setbacks than safety as citizens are vulnerable to data collection and theft.
FREMONT, CA: The Department of Defense is improving surveillance measures along the border to limit illegal activities and prevent terrorist infiltration. Currently, this form of surveillance is encroaching upon law-abiding citizens' right to privacy.
Automated Targeting System (ATS): The ATS is a security and tracking program for cargo. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is applying the tracking component of ATS to travelers crossing the borders. Travelers are assigned a computer-generated risk-assessment score that is valid up to 40 years. The data generated by the ATS for travelers are confidential and unviewable.
Border watch list: The DHS is curating a program that screens domestic travelers who want to travel across borders. The record of potential threats can allow innocent travelers from crossing the border. Many people find their names in these list. Vague mechanisms are in place that theoretically allow members to contest for their removal from such lists, but poor coordination and systemization makes it a difficult process to regain clearance to travel.
E-passport: The government is implementing biometric passports and immigration documents with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips. Data on tagged passports are accessed remotely. The RFID chips can leave passport holders vulnerable to identity thefts, malicious parties, and routine tracking by the government and private sectors.
Secure border initiative network (SBINet): The government is constructing a virtual border fence using sensors and long-range cameras mounted on observation towers. The construction of SBINets raises privacy concerns as the long-range surveillance cameras can record information of the activities of everyday citizens living along the border.
U.S. visitor and immigration status indicator technology (US-VISIT): US-VISIT tracks visitor entries into the country. It records travelers' finger scans and photographs and runs it through a terrorist database. The technology is unable to track their departures, and provides maximum privacy invasion with minimum security.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV): UAV and drones are deployed over restricted sections of the northern and southern US borders for surveillance. These technologies provide surveillance at the cost of law-abiding citizens' privacy.
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