“Observing the boarding gate area from afar“
July 29, 2018 10:06 PM Subscribe
Welcome to the Quiet Skies: Federal air marshals have begun following ordinary US citizens not suspected of a crime or on any terrorist watch list and collecting extensive information about their movements and behavior under a new domestic surveillance program that is drawing criticism from within the agency. Under “Quiet Skies” thousands of unsuspecting Americans have been subjected to targeted airport and inflight surveillance, carried out by small teams of armed, undercover air marshals, government documents show. The teams document whether passengers fidget, use a computer, have a “jump” in their Adam’s apple or a “cold penetrating stare,” among other behaviors, according to the records. Air marshals note these observations — minute-by-minute — in two separate reports and send this information back to the TSA.
Agency documents show there are about 40 to 50 Quiet Skies passengers on domestic flights each day. On average, air marshals follow and surveil about 35 of them.
In late May, an air marshal complained to colleagues about having just surveilled a working Southwest Airlines flight attendant as part of a Quiet Skies mission. “Cannot make this up,” the air marshal wrote in a message.
One colleague replied: “jeez we need to have an easy way to document this nonsense. Congress needs to know that it’s gone from bad to worse.”
Because in 2018 surveillance just couldn't get any more creepy and yet simultaneously useless.
posted by KeSetAffinityThread at 10:52 PM on July 29, 2018 [22 favorites]
posted by KeSetAffinityThread at 10:52 PM on July 29, 2018 [22 favorites]
As it gets cheaper to imbed sensors and tensor processors this will move to things like blood flow/heat senors along with analysis of voice for the "signs" of being a threat. And it'll be OK because the courts/law are gonna allow it because it will be an aid....like a police dog.
Cheapest board in the pipeline using existing SoC is a Rock64 Pro with the "AI" processing option. Should be about $100. Has dual camera inputs. 4 gig DRAM and a 4xPCI slot.
posted by rough ashlar at 11:42 PM on July 29, 2018 [2 favorites]
Cheapest board in the pipeline using existing SoC is a Rock64 Pro with the "AI" processing option. Should be about $100. Has dual camera inputs. 4 gig DRAM and a 4xPCI slot.
posted by rough ashlar at 11:42 PM on July 29, 2018 [2 favorites]
an air marshal complained to colleagues about having just surveilled a working Southwest Airlines flight attendant as part of a Quiet Skies mission. “Cannot make this up,” the air marshal wrote
What a waste of time. Everyone knows the terrorists work for United.
posted by orange ball at 12:05 AM on July 30, 2018 [34 favorites]
What a waste of time. Everyone knows the terrorists work for United.
posted by orange ball at 12:05 AM on July 30, 2018 [34 favorites]
FFS. I am an inveterate reader who has issues in crowds and a family that worries when I travel. As such I see at LEAST three things in there that would flag me.
> unearthed:
"Apart from terrifying (and a probable violation of your Constitution), Quiet Skies sounds self-fulfilling."
As I have quoted and quoted (although the attribution is questionable, but the quote is still good) from Cardinal Richlieu...
"If one would give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest man, I would find something in them to have him hanged."
posted by Samizdata at 12:52 AM on July 30, 2018 [24 favorites]
> unearthed:
"Apart from terrifying (and a probable violation of your Constitution), Quiet Skies sounds self-fulfilling."
As I have quoted and quoted (although the attribution is questionable, but the quote is still good) from Cardinal Richlieu...
"If one would give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest man, I would find something in them to have him hanged."
posted by Samizdata at 12:52 AM on July 30, 2018 [24 favorites]
All this surveillance, with no oversight, and hugely overbroadened guidelines, coupled with the less than excellent training I am sure these folks are getting, with a healthy dash of organizations jealously guarding their fiefdoms is a recipe for disaster and the worst sort of security theatre.
posted by Samizdata at 12:55 AM on July 30, 2018 [8 favorites]
posted by Samizdata at 12:55 AM on July 30, 2018 [8 favorites]
This is one of those developments that gets me saying, "they have no idea what they're doing." There can be no methodology for this, it's just creeps stalking people. They get budgeted for this! "Well, Mr. Director, my cunning plan to combat terrorism is to follow people around. I'll tell ya if we find anything."
posted by rhizome at 3:28 AM on July 30, 2018 [21 favorites]
posted by rhizome at 3:28 AM on July 30, 2018 [21 favorites]
As I Tweeted this morning, I regularly have three of the behaviors that bring me into question: making a U-Turn in the airport (because I need coffee), changing clothes in the airport (because I spilled the coffee all over myself) and sleeping on the plane (because the coffee went onto my shirt rather than in my mouth). In all seriousness, however, that Richlieu quote is dead on. The "dangerous" behaviors cited are perfectly normal things to do.
posted by rednikki at 3:50 AM on July 30, 2018 [33 favorites]
posted by rednikki at 3:50 AM on July 30, 2018 [33 favorites]
Why is sleeping on a plane suspicious?
posted by eirias at 4:14 AM on July 30, 2018 [8 favorites]
posted by eirias at 4:14 AM on July 30, 2018 [8 favorites]
I have connecting flights this week and next at two of the airports on that map. Metafilter t-shirt it is, then.
posted by emelenjr at 4:14 AM on July 30, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by emelenjr at 4:14 AM on July 30, 2018 [6 favorites]
Why is sleeping on a plane suspicious?
My family has always thought me overly paranoid when I mention that I've felt people staring at me when I've been on planes in the past. I am a visible minority, a brown skinned man (the very stereotype of a "terrorist").
I've had people look at me weird b/c of my rummaging in a bag for headphones that got misplaced. My family always said it was likely because I was being noisy/rude, causing a distraction in an otherwise quiet flight at night. But reading stories like this, hmm...
*random security checkpoint my ass, I always get pulled aside*
posted by Fizz at 4:34 AM on July 30, 2018 [26 favorites]
My family has always thought me overly paranoid when I mention that I've felt people staring at me when I've been on planes in the past. I am a visible minority, a brown skinned man (the very stereotype of a "terrorist").
I've had people look at me weird b/c of my rummaging in a bag for headphones that got misplaced. My family always said it was likely because I was being noisy/rude, causing a distraction in an otherwise quiet flight at night. But reading stories like this, hmm...
*random security checkpoint my ass, I always get pulled aside*
posted by Fizz at 4:34 AM on July 30, 2018 [26 favorites]
whether passengers fidget, use a computer, have a “jump” in their Adam’s apple or a “cold penetrating stare,” a
Re-reading this and it's even more of a face-palm. These are things that people do to just deal with stress because flying is stressful.
Maybe it's just me but I fucking hate flying (I know some people think it can be an adventure) but for me its just non-stop stress. Feeling like cattle, spending lots of money, being around strangers I don't want to be around, just hating every minute of it.
I'm going to do things like sweat or fidget or disassociate by staring blankly as I listen to music in an attempt to deal with all the annoying shit that's being thrown at me. But I have the added benefit of being a visible minority that looks like a stereotypical "terrorist", so there's that drama too.
*I'll see myself out of this thread, I'm getting too angsty, ugh*
posted by Fizz at 4:46 AM on July 30, 2018 [22 favorites]
Re-reading this and it's even more of a face-palm. These are things that people do to just deal with stress because flying is stressful.
Maybe it's just me but I fucking hate flying (I know some people think it can be an adventure) but for me its just non-stop stress. Feeling like cattle, spending lots of money, being around strangers I don't want to be around, just hating every minute of it.
I'm going to do things like sweat or fidget or disassociate by staring blankly as I listen to music in an attempt to deal with all the annoying shit that's being thrown at me. But I have the added benefit of being a visible minority that looks like a stereotypical "terrorist", so there's that drama too.
*I'll see myself out of this thread, I'm getting too angsty, ugh*
posted by Fizz at 4:46 AM on July 30, 2018 [22 favorites]
This is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard of. They're seemingly picking passengers at random to watch obsessively, just on the off chance that they turn out to be a terrorist? This is the work of an agency that has more time and money than they know what to do with.
I'd understand if the TSA was doing this to study what "normal behanior" is on a plane flight, to better understand what is or isn't a threat, but you don't have to be an air marshal to watch notrmal people, and this really seems to be a program where people are picked, without suspicion, just for the vanishingly small chance they might be up to something. What a ludicrous waste of tax dollars.
You'd be hard pressed to come up with a better way of further damaging the TSA's reputation. The only thing better would be if it was revealed this idea came directly from the President.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 5:11 AM on July 30, 2018 [18 favorites]
I'd understand if the TSA was doing this to study what "normal behanior" is on a plane flight, to better understand what is or isn't a threat, but you don't have to be an air marshal to watch notrmal people, and this really seems to be a program where people are picked, without suspicion, just for the vanishingly small chance they might be up to something. What a ludicrous waste of tax dollars.
You'd be hard pressed to come up with a better way of further damaging the TSA's reputation. The only thing better would be if it was revealed this idea came directly from the President.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 5:11 AM on July 30, 2018 [18 favorites]
I'm flying overseas soon and now I'm a nervous wreak. Are they looking at folks going out of the country?
All this bull shite boils down to racism/xenophobia. It has nothing to do with safety.
posted by james33 at 5:14 AM on July 30, 2018 [4 favorites]
All this bull shite boils down to racism/xenophobia. It has nothing to do with safety.
posted by james33 at 5:14 AM on July 30, 2018 [4 favorites]
Adam Conover pointed out that the Air Marshals have arrested less than a handful of dangerous persons, and that the cost of doing that came to something like $200 million per arrest. It's another enormously wasteful part of our security theater.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:33 AM on July 30, 2018 [34 favorites]
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:33 AM on July 30, 2018 [34 favorites]
This is so stupid that I'm not even as outraged as I should be. Which, come to think of it, is a pretty good description of 2018 as a whole.
posted by Ragged Richard at 5:37 AM on July 30, 2018 [24 favorites]
posted by Ragged Richard at 5:37 AM on July 30, 2018 [24 favorites]
Air marshals note these observations — minute-by-minute — in two separate reports and send this information back to the TSA.
14:34 - Subject observed writing out a message on a slip of paper.
14:35 - Subject has entered the rear latrine, paper in hand.
14:37 - Subject has exited the latrine. No paper is visible.
14:38 - I have entered the rear latrine and retrieved the paper. It appears to be written in some kind of code.
14:52 - I have decoded the message. B E S U R E T O D R I N K Y O U R O V A L T I N E
posted by duffell at 6:03 AM on July 30, 2018 [28 favorites]
14:34 - Subject observed writing out a message on a slip of paper.
14:35 - Subject has entered the rear latrine, paper in hand.
14:37 - Subject has exited the latrine. No paper is visible.
14:38 - I have entered the rear latrine and retrieved the paper. It appears to be written in some kind of code.
14:52 - I have decoded the message. B E S U R E T O D R I N K Y O U R O V A L T I N E
posted by duffell at 6:03 AM on July 30, 2018 [28 favorites]
I didn't need another reason to avoid traveling to the United States, but sure, okay.
posted by The Card Cheat at 6:20 AM on July 30, 2018 [14 favorites]
posted by The Card Cheat at 6:20 AM on July 30, 2018 [14 favorites]
Oh for fuck's sake. Okay, is there maybe some way we can get ICE on one side, and TSA on the other, and somehow turn them loose on each other instead of the rest of us?
posted by Naberius at 6:21 AM on July 30, 2018 [15 favorites]
posted by Naberius at 6:21 AM on July 30, 2018 [15 favorites]
random security checkpoint my ass
Truth. When I had a big beard, I got stopped for a "random" extra search at security every. single. time. Hasn't happened even once since I got rid of it years ago. I imagine it's ten times worse if you're not white, too.
posted by Dysk at 6:29 AM on July 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
Truth. When I had a big beard, I got stopped for a "random" extra search at security every. single. time. Hasn't happened even once since I got rid of it years ago. I imagine it's ten times worse if you're not white, too.
posted by Dysk at 6:29 AM on July 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
As noted by box in the most recent politics megathread,
posted by filthy light thief at 6:41 AM on July 30, 2018 [65 favorites]
It's not new. Back in the '90s, law professor David Cole (Google books preview) compiled a list of things that law enforcement officers have cited to say that people fit 'drug-courier profiles':Police powers: making up shit since forever to justify their (often racist) suspicions.
Arrived late at night
Arrived early in the morning
Arrived in afternoon
One of first to deplane
One of last to deplane
Deplaned in the middle
Purchased ticket at airport
Made reservation on short notice
Bought coach ticket
Bought first-class ticket
Used one-way ticket
Used round-trip ticket
Paid for ticket with cash
Paid for ticket with small-denomination currency
Paid for ticket with large-denomination currency
Made local telephone call after deplaning
Made long-distance call after deplaning
Pretended to make telephone call
Traveled from New York to Los Angeles
Traveled to Houston
No luggage
Brand-new luggage
Carried a small bag
Carried a medium-sized bag
Carried two bulky garment bags
Carried two heavy briefcases
Carried four pieces of luggage
Overly protective of luggage
Dissociated self from luggage
Traveled alone
Traveled with a companion
Acted too nervous
Acted too calm
Made eye contact with officer
Avoided making eye contact with officer
Wore expensive clothing and gold jewelry
Dressed casually
Went to rest room after deplaning
Walked quickly through airport
Walked slowly through airport
Walked aimlessly through airport
Left airport by taxi
Left airport by limousine
Left airport by private car
Left airport by hotel courtesy van
Suspect was Hispanic
Suspect was black female
posted by filthy light thief at 6:41 AM on July 30, 2018 [65 favorites]
Back in the '90s, law professor David Cole (Google books preview) compiled a list of things that law enforcement officers have cited to say that people fit 'drug-courier profile
We talked about that list in law school and it's a weirdly little thing to say really opened my eyes, but it did. I had the standard middle class white guy level of interactions with cops in my life (essentially zero), and had the standard set of assumptions about them. That list was a huge part in exposing the assumptions as unjustified. I went on to do criminal defense work for a little while after school, where it was all confirmed, but that list was shocking when I first saw it.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 7:00 AM on July 30, 2018 [8 favorites]
We talked about that list in law school and it's a weirdly little thing to say really opened my eyes, but it did. I had the standard middle class white guy level of interactions with cops in my life (essentially zero), and had the standard set of assumptions about them. That list was a huge part in exposing the assumptions as unjustified. I went on to do criminal defense work for a little while after school, where it was all confirmed, but that list was shocking when I first saw it.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 7:00 AM on July 30, 2018 [8 favorites]
Acted too nervous
Acted too calm
Walked quickly through airport
Walked slowly through airport
I had a jokey response along these lines, but once again reality gets the punchline in ahead of me.
posted by gimonca at 7:05 AM on July 30, 2018 [9 favorites]
Acted too calm
Walked quickly through airport
Walked slowly through airport
I had a jokey response along these lines, but once again reality gets the punchline in ahead of me.
posted by gimonca at 7:05 AM on July 30, 2018 [9 favorites]
All this surveillance ....
And all one has to do is place the surveillance data in private business hands and it becomes business records and almost untouchable as a civilian WRT the legal system. Keepable as long as magnetic media is cheap and is driven lower in cost because of the demand to keep data.
Private/public partnerships like InfoGuard gives a way for business to turn over records. Because if you don't play ball when asked to play ball you can end up like QWEST and QWEST's CEO.
Meanwhile the hardware used to collect the surveillance has problems as being discussed over at IPVM. Note this gem and think about LLC cut outs for the install "owned" by the corporation in the same way WalMart/Home Depot/KMart have each store be its own LLC in case the hardware that won't be replaced has the hard coded password being discussed.
"Your Honor - the company that did the install is dead and how could the parent company have ever known the EQ installed had an issue?"
(Thanks for the Cole link BTW.)
posted by rough ashlar at 7:22 AM on July 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
And all one has to do is place the surveillance data in private business hands and it becomes business records and almost untouchable as a civilian WRT the legal system. Keepable as long as magnetic media is cheap and is driven lower in cost because of the demand to keep data.
Private/public partnerships like InfoGuard gives a way for business to turn over records. Because if you don't play ball when asked to play ball you can end up like QWEST and QWEST's CEO.
Meanwhile the hardware used to collect the surveillance has problems as being discussed over at IPVM. Note this gem and think about LLC cut outs for the install "owned" by the corporation in the same way WalMart/Home Depot/KMart have each store be its own LLC in case the hardware that won't be replaced has the hard coded password being discussed.
"Your Honor - the company that did the install is dead and how could the parent company have ever known the EQ installed had an issue?"
(Thanks for the Cole link BTW.)
posted by rough ashlar at 7:22 AM on July 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
Made eye contact with officer
Avoided making eye contact with officer
I...guess... the solution... is to gouge out your eyes before flying?
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:37 AM on July 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
Avoided making eye contact with officer
I...guess... the solution... is to gouge out your eyes before flying?
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:37 AM on July 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
I...guess... the solution... is to gouge out your eyes before flying?
Not too fast or too slow?
posted by Fizz at 7:39 AM on July 30, 2018 [9 favorites]
Not too fast or too slow?
posted by Fizz at 7:39 AM on July 30, 2018 [9 favorites]
Avoid eye contact. If there are no eyes, avoid all contact.
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:39 AM on July 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:39 AM on July 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
(waving at Dysk) I have a large beard and long hair. I clearly present as male. I also fly a lot for work, 1-6x/month. So ever since 2001 I've been subjected to plenty of "random" checks in and around US airports.
I wouldn't be surprised if marshals kept an eye on me at least once for this program.
Hm, suspicious behavior: I have been known to sleep on flights, and my apnea-driven snoring could well constitute a sanity threat for those exposed. And a "cold, penetrating stare"? I have certainly deployed that towards agents of incompetent airlines (Delta, American) and bad airports (O'Hare, Newark, and especially the infernal hellscape that is Philadelphia).
posted by doctornemo at 7:46 AM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
I wouldn't be surprised if marshals kept an eye on me at least once for this program.
Hm, suspicious behavior: I have been known to sleep on flights, and my apnea-driven snoring could well constitute a sanity threat for those exposed. And a "cold, penetrating stare"? I have certainly deployed that towards agents of incompetent airlines (Delta, American) and bad airports (O'Hare, Newark, and especially the infernal hellscape that is Philadelphia).
posted by doctornemo at 7:46 AM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
Yeah, this is just what I needed to learn about before I take my first international flight next month...
posted by SansPoint at 7:51 AM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by SansPoint at 7:51 AM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Made eye contact with officer
Avoided making eye contact with officer
I...guess... the solution... is to gouge out your eyes before flying?
I wear sunglasses while traveling regardless of the time of day or whether im inside or not because i think i read somewhere its supposed to help fight jetlag, but it also (sort of) fixes this problem.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 7:51 AM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
Avoided making eye contact with officer
I...guess... the solution... is to gouge out your eyes before flying?
I wear sunglasses while traveling regardless of the time of day or whether im inside or not because i think i read somewhere its supposed to help fight jetlag, but it also (sort of) fixes this problem.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 7:51 AM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
Arrived late at night
Arrived early in the morning
...
One of first to deplane
One of last to deplane
...
Overly protective of luggage
Dissociated self from luggage
...
Traveled alone
Traveled with a companion
...
Acted too nervous
Acted too calm
Was Papa Bear
Was Mama Bear
Obviously the solution is to be Baby Bear -- Agent Goldilocks has to think you're just right.
posted by The Bellman at 7:53 AM on July 30, 2018 [5 favorites]
Arrived early in the morning
...
One of first to deplane
One of last to deplane
...
Overly protective of luggage
Dissociated self from luggage
...
Traveled alone
Traveled with a companion
...
Acted too nervous
Acted too calm
Was Papa Bear
Was Mama Bear
Obviously the solution is to be Baby Bear -- Agent Goldilocks has to think you're just right.
posted by The Bellman at 7:53 AM on July 30, 2018 [5 favorites]
I wear sunglasses while traveling regardless of the time of day or whether im inside or not
Right because there's nothing suspicious about that!
posted by The Bellman at 7:55 AM on July 30, 2018 [8 favorites]
Right because there's nothing suspicious about that!
posted by The Bellman at 7:55 AM on July 30, 2018 [8 favorites]
Once crossing the border by train a US marshal in full cowboy outfit with his hand on his pearl handled revolver asked me "Son why are you so nervous?"
I said "Because I am Canadian and you have your hand on your gun".
He said "Fair enough".
posted by srboisvert at 8:02 AM on July 30, 2018 [29 favorites]
I said "Because I am Canadian and you have your hand on your gun".
He said "Fair enough".
posted by srboisvert at 8:02 AM on July 30, 2018 [29 favorites]
Why is sleeping on a plane suspicious?
A responsible citizen remains alert and vigilant for suspicious activity rather than sleeping. The terrorist yearns for the eternal stillness of death and symbolically pre-enacts that desire through sleep.
posted by Pyry at 8:06 AM on July 30, 2018 [33 favorites]
A responsible citizen remains alert and vigilant for suspicious activity rather than sleeping. The terrorist yearns for the eternal stillness of death and symbolically pre-enacts that desire through sleep.
posted by Pyry at 8:06 AM on July 30, 2018 [33 favorites]
Clearly this agency has too much money and needs to be defunded.
posted by emjaybee at 8:07 AM on July 30, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by emjaybee at 8:07 AM on July 30, 2018 [7 favorites]
a “cold penetrating stare,”
Who are they hiring to write this purple prose nonsense?? Be sure to also look closely at anyone "wringing their hands with an acute fit of nervous excitement" or "shuddering in the grips of an irresistible paroxysm of rage".
Also, I have spent my life working on PERFECTING my airport "cold penetrating stare", which is the only recourse you have to combat people acting like absolute bonkers idiots at every part of the journey. How ELSE are you supposed to react when someone just STOPS WALKING in the middle of the concourse and nearly causes an enormous pileup of luggage and toddlers?
posted by a fiendish thingy at 8:08 AM on July 30, 2018 [24 favorites]
Who are they hiring to write this purple prose nonsense?? Be sure to also look closely at anyone "wringing their hands with an acute fit of nervous excitement" or "shuddering in the grips of an irresistible paroxysm of rage".
Also, I have spent my life working on PERFECTING my airport "cold penetrating stare", which is the only recourse you have to combat people acting like absolute bonkers idiots at every part of the journey. How ELSE are you supposed to react when someone just STOPS WALKING in the middle of the concourse and nearly causes an enormous pileup of luggage and toddlers?
posted by a fiendish thingy at 8:08 AM on July 30, 2018 [24 favorites]
"Son why are you so nervous?"
Because of systemic misogyny/racism/profiling/fear for my life.
posted by Fizz at 8:11 AM on July 30, 2018 [11 favorites]
Because of systemic misogyny/racism/profiling/fear for my life.
posted by Fizz at 8:11 AM on July 30, 2018 [11 favorites]
As a woman who travels alone sometimes - and uses *gasp* a computer! - anyone who was paying this much attention to me would be lucky to get a cold penetrating stare. I'm sure they'd find a way to find my standard thousand-yard stare suspicious as well.
posted by soelo at 8:28 AM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by soelo at 8:28 AM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
From the article:
The bulletin does not list the specific countries, but air marshals have been advised in several instances to follow passengers because of past travel to Turkey, according to people with direct knowledge of the program.
One air marshal described an assignment to conduct a Quiet Skies mission on a young executive from a major company.
“Her crime apparently was she flew to Turkey in the past,” the air marshal said, noting that many international companies have executives travel through Turkey.
Looking at the airport map where they say they monitor, this could one MILLION percent be me. Huh.
posted by ersatzkat at 8:38 AM on July 30, 2018 [5 favorites]
The bulletin does not list the specific countries, but air marshals have been advised in several instances to follow passengers because of past travel to Turkey, according to people with direct knowledge of the program.
One air marshal described an assignment to conduct a Quiet Skies mission on a young executive from a major company.
“Her crime apparently was she flew to Turkey in the past,” the air marshal said, noting that many international companies have executives travel through Turkey.
Looking at the airport map where they say they monitor, this could one MILLION percent be me. Huh.
posted by ersatzkat at 8:38 AM on July 30, 2018 [5 favorites]
There's nothing wrong with randomly placing FAMs on scheduled passenger flights, but targeting random individuals for nebulous at best reasons is..troubling. Like, I could see it as some sort of training exercise, but it sounds more like some poorly trained ML algorithm is spitting out crap to me.
posted by wierdo at 8:50 AM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by wierdo at 8:50 AM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
a “cold penetrating stare,”
I am now curious precisely how many reports about me exist in the system, because not only do I occasionally have a thousand yard stare, but I also, as someone with bad PTSD and as a former intelligence professional, routinely try to shake anyone I think may be following me or looking at me closely, so I literally hit every check mark on the “subject is abnormally aware of surroundings” list.
posted by corb at 9:10 AM on July 30, 2018 [8 favorites]
I am now curious precisely how many reports about me exist in the system, because not only do I occasionally have a thousand yard stare, but I also, as someone with bad PTSD and as a former intelligence professional, routinely try to shake anyone I think may be following me or looking at me closely, so I literally hit every check mark on the “subject is abnormally aware of surroundings” list.
posted by corb at 9:10 AM on July 30, 2018 [8 favorites]
Why is sleeping on a plane suspicious?
On some routes there are known to be people smuggling cocaine, swallowed in small wrapped packages. These people usually swallow so much of them that eating and drinking become troublesome, and the way to spot them is look at those passengers who try to sleep the entire flight. avoiding the meal and all that... it's likely the took the "sleeping is suspicious" bit from there but didn't bring along the underlying drug smuggling knowledge.
posted by DreamerFi at 9:38 AM on July 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
On some routes there are known to be people smuggling cocaine, swallowed in small wrapped packages. These people usually swallow so much of them that eating and drinking become troublesome, and the way to spot them is look at those passengers who try to sleep the entire flight. avoiding the meal and all that... it's likely the took the "sleeping is suspicious" bit from there but didn't bring along the underlying drug smuggling knowledge.
posted by DreamerFi at 9:38 AM on July 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
Once upon a time I was waiting in the security line at LaGuardia, and was pulled aside by one of the TSA’s BDOs, or behavioral detection officers. Being all up in my privilege, I straight-up asked him why he singled me out, to which he answered, “You’ve just got a lot of...stuff going on,” and vaguely gestured at my torso.
It turned out, eventually, that he meant a vintage Aeroflot commemorative pin for the Il-62 I was wearing. It wasn’t even the pin’s provenance he found offensive – believe me, this guy couldn’t have distinguished Aeroflot from the MC-5. It was that I was wearing a pin or badge at all. Either his operational guidelines or his own instincts conflated this rather humble attempt at self-expression with something problematically weird. It was a sad moment.
Of course I wouldn’t have learned this at all had I not made the cardinal mistake of referring to him as “a BDO,” which immediately occasioned my involuntary physical separation from the line and an extended and none-too-polite interview in a windowless office. You as citizen just aren’t supposed to know this terminology, and knowing it (because you, say, had actually read what the TSA had published on their own site) marked you as deeply suspicious. Eventually, I got a grudging apology and explanation from his supervisor – there’s that privilege again – but it deeeeeply reinscribed everything I’d already assumed about the utter fatuousness of their methodology and the arbitrary, capricious and Kafkaesque nature of its application. I’m saddened, but not in the slightest bit surprised, to learn that Quiet Skies is continuing the tradition.
posted by adamgreenfield at 10:09 AM on July 30, 2018 [15 favorites]
It turned out, eventually, that he meant a vintage Aeroflot commemorative pin for the Il-62 I was wearing. It wasn’t even the pin’s provenance he found offensive – believe me, this guy couldn’t have distinguished Aeroflot from the MC-5. It was that I was wearing a pin or badge at all. Either his operational guidelines or his own instincts conflated this rather humble attempt at self-expression with something problematically weird. It was a sad moment.
Of course I wouldn’t have learned this at all had I not made the cardinal mistake of referring to him as “a BDO,” which immediately occasioned my involuntary physical separation from the line and an extended and none-too-polite interview in a windowless office. You as citizen just aren’t supposed to know this terminology, and knowing it (because you, say, had actually read what the TSA had published on their own site) marked you as deeply suspicious. Eventually, I got a grudging apology and explanation from his supervisor – there’s that privilege again – but it deeeeeply reinscribed everything I’d already assumed about the utter fatuousness of their methodology and the arbitrary, capricious and Kafkaesque nature of its application. I’m saddened, but not in the slightest bit surprised, to learn that Quiet Skies is continuing the tradition.
posted by adamgreenfield at 10:09 AM on July 30, 2018 [15 favorites]
Oh for fuck's sake. Okay, is there maybe some way we can get ICE on one side, and TSA on the other, and somehow turn them loose on each other instead of the rest of us?
Reboot idea: Battle of the Security Theater Stars
Clearly this agency has too much money and needs to be defunded.
If anything we'll continue to overfund, citing terrorist threats while crouching under the flag. These agencies undertake pointless initiatives to justify their budgets, invariably some sort of busywork involving a boot on somebody's neck. And then actual threats and crimes are missed or misinterpreted anyway. It's infuriating. I almost wouldn't begrudge the massive money funnel if it didn't worsen matters. Stay in the office, buy pneumatic chairs and Italian coffee machines, whatever, just stop constantly messing with people.
[It's likely I'm flying to NY in September, and I am dreading it.]
posted by Iris Gambol at 10:10 AM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
Reboot idea: Battle of the Security Theater Stars
Clearly this agency has too much money and needs to be defunded.
If anything we'll continue to overfund, citing terrorist threats while crouching under the flag. These agencies undertake pointless initiatives to justify their budgets, invariably some sort of busywork involving a boot on somebody's neck. And then actual threats and crimes are missed or misinterpreted anyway. It's infuriating. I almost wouldn't begrudge the massive money funnel if it didn't worsen matters. Stay in the office, buy pneumatic chairs and Italian coffee machines, whatever, just stop constantly messing with people.
[It's likely I'm flying to NY in September, and I am dreading it.]
posted by Iris Gambol at 10:10 AM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
At least the statistics for demonstrable, positive, and cost-effective results have been released and verified. Oh.... wait...
posted by RolandOfEld at 10:41 AM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by RolandOfEld at 10:41 AM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
So ... this is a make work program for the secret police?
posted by The Whelk at 10:41 AM on July 30, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 10:41 AM on July 30, 2018 [5 favorites]
This had press announcements in 2017 - but FirstNet is a feature at The Intercept titled "A New Broadband Network Is Pitching Surveillance Enhancements to Cops Across the Country"
Not interested in reading it? How about this bit:
FirstNet is a public-private partnership that creates a dedicated lane for public safety agencies within AT&T’s existing broadband network. As of January, all U.S. states had opted in to FirstNet, meaning that they agreed not to build their own competing broadband lanes for law enforcement and public safety.
posted by rough ashlar at 11:01 AM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Not interested in reading it? How about this bit:
FirstNet is a public-private partnership that creates a dedicated lane for public safety agencies within AT&T’s existing broadband network. As of January, all U.S. states had opted in to FirstNet, meaning that they agreed not to build their own competing broadband lanes for law enforcement and public safety.
posted by rough ashlar at 11:01 AM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Made eye contact with officer
Avoided making eye contact with officer
I...guess... the solution... is to gouge out your eyes before flying?
I like to give the officer a little wink, just to cover my bases.
posted by UltraMorgnus at 11:05 AM on July 30, 2018 [9 favorites]
Avoided making eye contact with officer
I...guess... the solution... is to gouge out your eyes before flying?
I like to give the officer a little wink, just to cover my bases.
posted by UltraMorgnus at 11:05 AM on July 30, 2018 [9 favorites]
On some routes there are known to be people smuggling cocaine, swallowed in small wrapped packages. These people usually swallow so much of them that eating and drinking become troublesome, and the way to spot them is look at those passengers who try to sleep the entire flight. avoiding the meal and all that... it's likely the took the "sleeping is suspicious" bit from there but didn't bring along the underlying drug smuggling knowledge.
Thanks, DreamerFi. This is hardly reassuring, though! I can’t be the only person who sometimes skips out on airline food because of travel related indigestion (never mind all the sleeping I do because of fatigue, boredom, or avoiding chatting with my neighbor). This feels like a very expensive way to chase the noise.
To me the most interesting part of the story is that the source is strongly implied to be an Air Marshal. I am reminded of the thread on bullshit jobs - here are some people unafraid to say publicly that their jobs are worthless. Wonder how common a sentiment that is among people in this program.
posted by eirias at 12:11 PM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
Thanks, DreamerFi. This is hardly reassuring, though! I can’t be the only person who sometimes skips out on airline food because of travel related indigestion (never mind all the sleeping I do because of fatigue, boredom, or avoiding chatting with my neighbor). This feels like a very expensive way to chase the noise.
To me the most interesting part of the story is that the source is strongly implied to be an Air Marshal. I am reminded of the thread on bullshit jobs - here are some people unafraid to say publicly that their jobs are worthless. Wonder how common a sentiment that is among people in this program.
posted by eirias at 12:11 PM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
You know what was weird, flying out of Dallas last week and they didn't make us take off our shoes! But then flying back from Houston, they did. Pretty sure no shoe-bombs happened. Almost as though taking off shoes in security is dumb and pointless.
I also got to go through a checkpoint with a sniffing dog, who honestly looked like he just wanted some scritches.
Now that I'm doing more flying, I'm mostly noticing the weird differences between airports and their security people. If they're surveiling me, all they're seeing is surreptitious underwear adjustments and armpit scratching, so enjoy that dudes, I guess.
posted by emjaybee at 12:14 PM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
I also got to go through a checkpoint with a sniffing dog, who honestly looked like he just wanted some scritches.
Now that I'm doing more flying, I'm mostly noticing the weird differences between airports and their security people. If they're surveiling me, all they're seeing is surreptitious underwear adjustments and armpit scratching, so enjoy that dudes, I guess.
posted by emjaybee at 12:14 PM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
I'd feel better if it were a poorly-trained ML algorithm. At least when presented with new data, ML models generally change their minds. People tend not to.
posted by Kadin2048 at 1:51 PM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Kadin2048 at 1:51 PM on July 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
Who are they hiring to write this purple prose nonsense?? Be sure to also look closely at anyone "wringing their hands with an acute fit of nervous excitement" or "shuddering in the grips of an irresistible paroxysm of rage".
You know if H.P. Lovecraft were alive today he'd looooove working for DHS, CBP, or ICE.
posted by Kitty Stardust at 2:31 PM on July 30, 2018 [4 favorites]
You know if H.P. Lovecraft were alive today he'd looooove working for DHS, CBP, or ICE.
posted by Kitty Stardust at 2:31 PM on July 30, 2018 [4 favorites]
Air marshals note these observations — minute-by-minute ...
Marshall 1: Main target Alpha has been intently watched by a female passenger seated in 9-B, a row behind Alpha - I will refer to this person as Beta. She occasionally checks her makeup in a hand mirror, but spends a lot of time watching Alpha. I will report on both of them.
Marshall 2: By a horrible coincidence, a former boyfriend of mine is on this same flight! He's sitting right next to my target! He hasn't noticed me yet - I'm trying to avoid his seeing my face.
Complication - a person in seat 12-C seems to be watching me. Could this be a co-conspirator of target; has he made me? The few times I've glanced in his direction, he has turned away, but I can see him staring at me when I use a mirror.
posted by King Sky Prawn at 4:20 PM on July 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
Marshall 1: Main target Alpha has been intently watched by a female passenger seated in 9-B, a row behind Alpha - I will refer to this person as Beta. She occasionally checks her makeup in a hand mirror, but spends a lot of time watching Alpha. I will report on both of them.
Marshall 2: By a horrible coincidence, a former boyfriend of mine is on this same flight! He's sitting right next to my target! He hasn't noticed me yet - I'm trying to avoid his seeing my face.
Complication - a person in seat 12-C seems to be watching me. Could this be a co-conspirator of target; has he made me? The few times I've glanced in his direction, he has turned away, but I can see him staring at me when I use a mirror.
posted by King Sky Prawn at 4:20 PM on July 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
> Pyry:
"Why is sleeping on a plane suspicious?
A responsible citizen remains alert and vigilant for suspicious activity rather than sleeping. The terrorist yearns for the eternal stillness of death and symbolically pre-enacts that desire through sleep."
Sadly, I laughed at that. I suppose kudos for the IRL laugh, as disturbed and frustrated it might be.
posted by Samizdata at 7:56 PM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
"Why is sleeping on a plane suspicious?
A responsible citizen remains alert and vigilant for suspicious activity rather than sleeping. The terrorist yearns for the eternal stillness of death and symbolically pre-enacts that desire through sleep."
Sadly, I laughed at that. I suppose kudos for the IRL laugh, as disturbed and frustrated it might be.
posted by Samizdata at 7:56 PM on July 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
My gut was to suggest an "I am Spartacus" approach, where all citizens do "suspicious" things to overwhelm the system. The thing it, it looks like we've been doing that.
posted by MrGuilt at 6:11 AM on July 31, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by MrGuilt at 6:11 AM on July 31, 2018 [1 favorite]
Is this not just a straightforward effort to normalise the surveillance of all people? I doubt this will stop in airports.
It's also not being kept particularly secret, which means it's having the additional effect (as can be seen in this thread) of inducing fear of being pulled aside for doing something.
And in a system where it's trivial to find reasons to detain or harass individuals, and where obtaining redress for said harassment is at best legally expensive and drawn out, and at worst, an invitation to further harassment by an annoyed government, it fosters a permanent environment of fear and distrust. Distrust not just of the security enforcement agents, but also of the people around you.
"What if someone else sics security on me?"
"What could they be doing? Is something dangerous going in?"
Both normalising the idea of perpetual surveillance and the idea that terrorism is pervasive and everpresent."
Well, I fin'ly started thinkin' straight
When I run outta things to investigate
Couldn't imagine doin' anything else
So now I'm sittin' home investigatin' myself
Hope I don't find out anything, hm, great God
posted by allium cepa at 11:44 AM on July 31, 2018 [2 favorites]
It's also not being kept particularly secret, which means it's having the additional effect (as can be seen in this thread) of inducing fear of being pulled aside for doing something.
And in a system where it's trivial to find reasons to detain or harass individuals, and where obtaining redress for said harassment is at best legally expensive and drawn out, and at worst, an invitation to further harassment by an annoyed government, it fosters a permanent environment of fear and distrust. Distrust not just of the security enforcement agents, but also of the people around you.
"What if someone else sics security on me?"
"What could they be doing? Is something dangerous going in?"
Both normalising the idea of perpetual surveillance and the idea that terrorism is pervasive and everpresent."
Well, I fin'ly started thinkin' straight
When I run outta things to investigate
Couldn't imagine doin' anything else
So now I'm sittin' home investigatin' myself
Hope I don't find out anything, hm, great God
posted by allium cepa at 11:44 AM on July 31, 2018 [2 favorites]
Oh. So that's the weird feeling I get whenever I snuggle down into my seat to sleep. PEOPLE SURVEILIENCING ME. I always wondered who the hell was paying attention to me, and why? I initially thought it was just what happened when a stranger is doing some kind of action in a confined space. UGH GTFO
posted by yueliang at 10:33 PM on July 31, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by yueliang at 10:33 PM on July 31, 2018 [2 favorites]
Next time I go to the Airport, I will be sure to wear sunglasses and an old East German trench coat. I will be chewing gum, occasionally scribbling something onto a pad of paper, and making many visits to the washroom. Oh, and I will have bacon scented doggy treats in my pocket. Thanks for making my mundane commute more exciting, TSA.
posted by ambulocetus at 12:38 PM on August 10, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by ambulocetus at 12:38 PM on August 10, 2018 [3 favorites]
> rough ashlar:
"This had press announcements in 2017 - but FirstNet is a feature at The Intercept titled "A New Broadband Network Is Pitching Surveillance Enhancements to Cops Across the Country"
Not interested in reading it? How about this bit:
FirstNet is a public-private partnership that creates a dedicated lane for public safety agencies within AT&T’s existing broadband network. As of January, all U.S. states had opted in to FirstNet, meaning that they agreed not to build their own competing broadband lanes for law enforcement and public safety."
Given I am on AT&T and my "broadband" is slower than 91% of the US, this is not a bad thing.
posted by Samizdata at 12:29 AM on August 16, 2018
"This had press announcements in 2017 - but FirstNet is a feature at The Intercept titled "A New Broadband Network Is Pitching Surveillance Enhancements to Cops Across the Country"
Not interested in reading it? How about this bit:
FirstNet is a public-private partnership that creates a dedicated lane for public safety agencies within AT&T’s existing broadband network. As of January, all U.S. states had opted in to FirstNet, meaning that they agreed not to build their own competing broadband lanes for law enforcement and public safety."
Given I am on AT&T and my "broadband" is slower than 91% of the US, this is not a bad thing.
posted by Samizdata at 12:29 AM on August 16, 2018
an old East German trench coat
Well, it's an appropriate choice.
posted by Kadin2048 at 12:18 PM on August 22, 2018
Well, it's an appropriate choice.
posted by Kadin2048 at 12:18 PM on August 22, 2018
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posted by unearthed at 10:46 PM on July 29, 2018 [4 favorites]