It’s Official: I’m Not A Terrorist
October 9th, 2008
Last year, I read a blog post giving instructions on how American citizens could request a check into your personal flight history, to find out if your name appears on the “no-fly” list. So I did.
The website seems to be gone now, but it was a simple form that submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of Homeland Security. I’d never requested anything under FOIA before, and my personal history seemed like a place to start. I thought it was a good exercise, both as an information professional and as a private citizen.
So I was happy when, earlier this week (almost exactly one year later), I received a letter from the US Customs and Border Protection saying,
A search was conducted of the [Automated Targeting System] database, and we were unable to locate or identify any responsive records.
Which means I am flying under their radar (until this request, probably).
Not that I thought there would be anything untoward in my flying patterns, but these days, you never know. Now all I need to do is take my official “he’s no terrorist” letter to the nearest TSA worker for a smiley face.
[To request your own, try starting at CBP's FOIA webpage]
[October 9th, 2008 at 4:01 pm | permalink]
If you want to get paranoid, you can wonder whether you’re on any lists NOW for inquiring…
[October 25th, 2008 at 10:58 pm | permalink]
homeland security technology…
I can’t believe I missed this! I’m going to have to do some more reading me thinks….