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One-sided deal gives US access to travellers' CCs and emails

by HEXUS Staff on 2 January 2007, 11:29

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As if it weren't bad enough that travellers to the USA currently have to stand in line for hours awaiting entry, it now seems that European citizens flying to the USA could have their credit card and email accounts accessed by the American authorities, after the EU once again bent the knee to Washington.

According to Telegraph.co.uk, an agreement between the EU and USA in October means that passengers who book flights with credit cards could end up having other transactions scrutinised by US government agencies - and letting an airline know your email address might result in messages in and out of that account being read.

US authorities are now given access to 34 items from the Passenger Name Record (PNR), which EU airlines must provide from their computer systems. Among the information being handed over is any stated religious dietary requirements.

Initially, the report says, such info can be inspected for seven days but a reduced number of US officials could view it for three-and-a-half years.

However, any individual's file inspected during that period could remain open for eight years.

Although the information is gathered by border authorities, it can, the site says, be shared with domestic agencies and also with foreign governments on a case-by-case basis!

As with so many deals with the USA, this one looks decidedly one-sided. The report says that the US will encourage its airlines to make similar information available to EU governments but won't compel them to do so.

Check out the Telegraph's story - US 'licence to snoop' on British air travellers - then share your thoughts with us in the HEXUS.lifestyle.news forum.

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Telegraph.co.uk - US 'licence to snoop' on British air travellers



HEXUS Forums :: 7 Comments

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Ah bugger, there goes my chance of hiding the atom bomb I bought on ebay….:shocked2:

Seriously though, the Credit Card thing doesn't bother me much, and they already know your address (you write it on the form at the airport) only things they didn't already know are the useless bits about religious meal choices….
speaking of which…..what do Jedi's eat ?
I think they shouldn't be allowed access to this level of personal data. Having said that, what practical effect will this have on non-criminals?
Moby-Dick
speaking of which…..what do Jedi's eat ?

Force square meals a day, surely…?

Geddit..? Geddit?

Force, four square.. I'll get me coat.. :undecided

The US pretty much does what it wants as far as I can see and most of us just pucker up and bend over. I like Americans but I'm getting fed up with the current political climate, both there and here and I can't see it getting any better…

Bah.
I'm not happy with the extent to which our OWN government has unfettered access to peoples' personal data, but that bunch of trigger happy cretins on the other side of the pond? Note: I refer to the incumbent government, and its clue-deficient law enforcement and intelligence agencies, not Americans in general. Personally, I think it's disgusting; “screw the citizens, AIRLINE PROFITS ARE IN DANGER!”.