PrivacyActivism submits comments against the CDC's proposal to create a massive passenger surveillance database

May 1, 2006 - News

The Centers for Disease Control has proposed the creation of a massive new database of airline and cruise passengers that is intended to assist in controlling the spread of epidemics. In addition to a name, date of birth, passport number and multiple points of contact information, passengers would also be required to supply the names and contact information of the individuals or group they're traveling with. The CDC and Department of Health and Human Services have already agreed to share the passenger database with the Department of Homeland Security.

Privacy Activism submitted comments on the CDC's proposal that criticize all aspects of the passenger database--its invasiveness, overbreadth, and the likelihood of mission creep that has already occurred with the agreement to share the information with DHS. We also take issue with provisions of the regulations that base passenger quarantine decisions on the judgment of entirely unqualified airline personnel and on the specification of a three-business-day quarantine with no recourse to a hearing or any process by which one can question the imposition of quarantine.

More information is available at <privacyactivism.org/docs/CDC.comments.Final.060130>.

Last updated May 1, 2006