America: Newest not-spot for the English vacationer

Thinking of traveling to London? What if England could inspect the charges on the credit card you used to book your flight? What if they used the email addy that you provided for the purpose of receiving your itinerary to check your other messages? Would you still want to go?

Don’t worry, London is (for now) still safe for Americans. It is America doing the snooping.

Britons flying to America could have their credit card and email accounts inspected by the United States authorities following a deal struck by Brussels and Washington.

By using a credit card to book a flight, passengers face having other transactions on the card inspected by the American authorities. Providing an email address to an airline could also lead to scrutiny of other messages sent or received on that account.

The extent of the demands were disclosed in “undertakings” given by the US Department of Homeland Security to the European Union and published by the Department for Transport after a Freedom of Information request.

Am I the only one to find it odd that we are instituting an intrusive process against our ally in the War on Terror?

Am I the only one to find it “uniquely American” that

In October, Brussels agreed to sweep away the “bureaucratic hurdles” preventing airlines handing over this material after European carriers were threatened with exclusion from the US. The newly-released document sets out the rules underpinning that deal.

Think it’s not a big deal? How’s this?

Washington promised to “encourage” US airlines to make similar information available to EU governments — rather than compel them to do so.

Not scared yet? How’s this?

“Then there are problems, such as where the case would take place and whether an individual has time to hire a lawyer, even if they wanted to challenge it.”

Initially, such material could be inspected for seven days but a reduced number of US officials could view it for three and a half years. Should any record be inspected during this period, the file could remain open for eight years.

Material compiled by the border authorities can be shared with domestic agencies. It can also be on a “case by case” basis with foreign governments.

Not a big deal if there is nothing to hide, right?

And some people actually call libertarians nutjobs.

~ by Miche on January 3, 2007.