TSA's Behavior Profiling Lacks Scientific Basis, GAO Finds
Individuals implicated in six terrorist plots made their way through checkpoints, report says
04/06/2011 | By Truman Lewis
|
ConsumerAffairs.com
| Travel
Complaints about
the full-body scans conducted byTransportation Security Agency (TSA) agents are common. But most of us pay little
attention to something that's almost as important to airline
security – the TSA's behavior detection program, known as
SPOT. (Read more
consumer complaints about airlines).
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found in May 2010 that the TSA had deployed the program without determining whether there was a scientifically valid basis for it, and the latest report finds not much has changed, DC Insider reports.
Using SPOT, TSA agents are supposed to be able to spot potential hijackers and terrorists using "behavior detection principles." But the GAO found that there is no scientific consensus on whether behavior detection principles can be reliably used for counterterrorism purposes.
In other words, no one can really say whether the program works. Oh well, there were those six terrorist plots.
Say what?
Yes, GAO says that individuals allegedly involved in six terrorist plots successfully made their way through SPOT airports. No other information about those plots was provided but GAO noted that it recommended in May 2010 that TSA study the feasibility of using airport video recordings of the behaviors exhibited by persons transiting airport checkpoints who were later charged with or pleaded guilty to terrorism-related offenses.
GAO said such recordings could provide insights about behaviors that may be common among terrorists or – on the other hand — could demonstrate that terrorists do not generally display any identifying behaviors.
TSA agreed and in March 2011 reported that it is “exploring ways to better utilize such recordings.” No word yet on the results of that exploration.
