-Caveat Lector-
----- Forwarded message from [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----
Date: Sat, 01 Nov 2003 14:01:00 -0700
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: TIA: Spying Program Resurfaces
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.aclu.org/Privacy/Privacy.cfm?ID=14257&c=130
What Is The Matrix? ACLU Seeks Answers on New State-Run Surveillance Program
October 30, 2003
Defunct Big Brother Spying Program Resurfaces as �Little Brother� in Seven
States
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW YORK�The American Civil Liberties Union today filed simultaneous
state �Freedom of Information Act� requests in Connecticut, Michigan, New
York, Ohio and Pennsylvania about those states� participation in the
new �MATRIX� database surveillance system. It also released an Issue Brief
explaining the problems with the program, which also operates in Florida
and Utah.
Issue Brief
http://www.aclu.org/Privacy/Privacy.cfm?ID=14254&c=130
�Congress killed the Pentagon�s �Total Information Awareness� data mining
program, but now the federal government is trying to build up a state-run
equivalent,� said Barry Steinhardt, Director of the ACLU�s Technology and
Liberty Program.
�In essence, the government is replacing an unpopular Big Brother
initiative with a lot of Little Brothers,� he added, noting that the
program is receiving $12 million from the Departments of Justice and
Homeland Security. �What does it take for the message to get through that
government spying on the activities of innocent Americans will not be
tolerated?�
The ACLU�s requests, which were filed under individual states� open-records
laws, come on the heels of a federal Freedom of Information Act request it
filed October 17. A similar request was also filed in Florida, where the
program originated. The goal of the requests is to find out what
information sources the system is drawing on � information program
officials have refused to disclose � as well as who has access to the
database and how it is being used.
According to Congressional testimony and news reports, The Matrix (which
stands for �Multistate Anti-Terrorism Information Exchange�) creates
dossiers about individuals from government databases and private-sector
information companies that compile files on Americans� activities for
profit. It then makes those dossiers available for search by federal and
state law enforcement officers. In addition, Matrix workers comb through
the millions of files in a search for �anomalies� that may be indicative of
terrorist or other criminal activity.
While company officials have refused to disclose details of the program,
according to news reports the kind of information to be searched includes
credit histories, driver�s license photographs, marriage and divorce
records, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and the names and
addresses of family members, neighbors and business associates.
Raising even more issues, the Matrix is operated by a private company,
Seisint Inc. of Boca Raton, Florida. Ironically, the company�s founder was
forced to resign after information about his own past came to light:
according to Florida police, he was formerly a drug smuggler who had
piloted multiple planeloads of cocaine from Colombia to the U.S.
�Members of Congress who voted to close down TIA in the belief that they
were ending this kind of data mining surveillance must demand more
information about The Matrix,� said Steinhardt. �And then they should shut
it down too.�
Copies of the ACLU�s state and federal FOIA requests as well as the Issue
Brief about The Matrix are online at
http://www.aclu.org/Privacy/Privacy.cfm?ID=14240&c=130, and can also be
accessed at www.aclu.org/privacy
A special Web feature about the defunct TIA program is online at
http://www.aclu.org/Privacy/Privacylist.cfm?c=130
----- End forwarded message -----
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