# Appalling news from the US Government and commercial airlines **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 28, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appalling-news-from-the-us-government-and-commercial-airlines/158228 "2003-02-28T20:48:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![D\_Nice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@D\_Nice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Nice)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appalling-news-from-the-us-government-and-commercial-airlines/158228/1 "2003-02-28T20:48:01Z")
> **[Privacy & Technology](https://www.aclu.org/issues/privacy-technology?ID=11956&c=130&redirect=cfmredirect%2FPrivacy)** > > “The fact that technology now allows an individual to carry such information in his hand does not make the information any less worthy of the protection for which the Founders fought.”—U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts in Riley v.... _As a preface, I’m not a big anti government person_ Just another step towards the government having full access to all of our personal information. Imagine if my last name happens to be the same as someone suspected of terroristic activities in say Ireland. Should I suddenly be considered a threat to my own country? Now all of my personal information is being shared between all of my government’s agencies who are in turn sharing my information with other world governments. What is the next step? Should I have to give up all my information to go to a sporting event? I mean if someone is such a threat, I’m sure there is plenty of damage that can be done equally in an area packed with people as it could be on an airplane. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appalling-news-from-the-us-government-and-commercial-airlines/158228/2 "2003-02-28T21:53:40Z")
Just one more nail in the airlines’ coffin. Soon, _nobody_ will be willing (or in some cases, able) to fly. No planes = no hijack risk = no problem. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![ShoNuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@ShoNuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShoNuff)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appalling-news-from-the-us-government-and-commercial-airlines/158228/3 "2003-03-01T05:30:34Z")
I actually don’t think this will mean the death of airlines, or will contribute to it in any way. At what point, in any time, have masses of people been deterred by losing personal privacies, especially when they feel threatened? This isn’t a criticism of the severity of the threat, but rather a sad realization about the gullibility of most people. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appalling-news-from-the-us-government-and-commercial-airlines/158228/4 "2003-03-01T06:13:41Z")
Hmm, black hat hackers smell business opportunities… Oh, excuse me. I’m not one of them. Honest! ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appalling-news-from-the-us-government-and-commercial-airlines/158228/5 "2003-03-01T07:01:13Z")
I can see it now on ebay: Description: Personal Terrorist Threat Level reduced. No questions asked. Opening Bid: $500 Current: $2375.50 Minimum Bid: $2377.75 Number of Bids: 833 ---
**Author:** ![Kalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Kalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalt)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appalling-news-from-the-us-government-and-commercial-airlines/158228/6 "2003-03-01T09:09:47Z")
the illusion of safety makes me feel oh so secure. Sounds like a way to sneak the Total Info Awareness crap in through the back door. Oops, I probably just got flagged as yellow for saying that (but I’ll never know until I get cavity-searched every time I fly). ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appalling-news-from-the-us-government-and-commercial-airlines/158228/7 "2003-03-01T09:29:46Z")
I’d just like to say to anyone who happens to be reading this that I am completely loyal to President Bush and the United States of America. And I completely support any action taken by our government. Signed, -Citizen #84362982294