Question about passports and passport data

[MindPilot]

I have a passport. It is a little paper booklet with my picture and some other information. In the times that I've been outside the USA, some customs person has looked at it, looked at me, and then hit one of the pages with a rubber stamp. As far as I've noticed nothing is recorded except on my passport so how would a passport data breach be any more significant than say the DMV or a credit card company?

I guess--based on what I've seen--I don't understand how the State Dept would have a record of my travels; they would only have a record of my application. which is the same information that is necessary for a mortgage or a driver's license.

[Lerkfish]

1. IMHO, its only one small part of an overall privacy violation by a contractor

you pose a good question: what is the value of the information?

the better question is: Who potentially benefits from the information?
that will give you a better clue to the answer of your question.

[LakeSamish706]

2. Many time now when you cross into a country they will actually scan the passport....

I know it happens to mine often of late when I cross the border...

[zorahopkins]

3. OMG!

OMG! THe information on a passport includes things like your social security number, your address, and any information you provided to the government in order to get your passport.

It would also include information about any time you entered the USA, and any information about any country you entered.

There is a little computer strip that is scanned whenever you enter or leave the US.

But that is really not the point.

The point is that the government is NOT supposed to use ANY of the information except for official purposes.

And, the government is supposed to PROTECT ALL of that information!

[MindPilot]

8. OMG!! You think I'm an idiot?

I know what's in the passport; it is in my possession, not the State Department's. the scanable passports are very recent and since passports last ten years, I guess most people don't have them yet. There was some mention of Obama's travel records dating back to the sixties; how would anyone but the owner of the passport have that information?

[zorahopkins]

12. OMG! OMG!

I think you underestimate the power of the Bush/Cheney regime -- and of the Bush I regime -- and of the Reagan Regime -- and the Ford Regime -- and the Nixon Regime.

All of those corrupt regimes would have had an interest in tracking the travel of a Black Man.

They likely would have kept that information in order to keep the Black Man in line.

[sallyseven]

14. When you renew the passport

you have to send in the old one. All the info on where your going and how long you spend there is right there. That is why the people involved are pissed. By the way they are trying privatize the Passport office (independent contractors) so I think this is a good example of why that should be resisted.

[Dora]

4. I want to know too, so here's a kick. nt

[pitohui]

5. wow, this is a mind croggling post

first of all you seem to trivialize the dangers of a breach at dmv and/or credit card company -- these breaches can be VERY significant -- two examples, a breach at dmv will allow a criminal to duplicate my information and drive or be arrested under MY name, a breach at cc co. will allow investigators to snoop into my life and see where i've been and where my money is being spent which is always pure gold in a divorce, civil, or criminal proceeding

as for the passport it's scanned, and they know where you were, and for how long, hence why they can ask me snoopy questions not just about the trip i'm returning from but about previous trips

you can profile a person and decide, wow, she goes to a lot of banking capitals, panama, london, frankfurt, nairobi -- my god, this person must be a money launderer! -- or, dude, this person sure goes to amsterdam a lot *snicker*

just getting information on someone's travels and then twisting it around could be gold to a mean spirited campaign person or dishonest reporter

but i KNOW they have a record of my travels, they've ASKED me about my travels

if they haven't scanned your passport or asked you about previous trips, well, that's nice, but it isn't my experience at all

[MindPilot]

11. And an even more "mind croggling " response

I am not "trivializing" any security breach--fer crisssakes I work in IT security--I'm telling you that unless it is a very recent scanable passport, the information about your travels is IN the passport, which remains in your possession.

Your condescension is not appreciated.

[question everything]

19. It can be used to pull credit reports

From a WSJ story:

Aside from the file, the information could allow critics to dig deeper into the candidates' private lives. While the file includes date and place of birth, address at time of application and the countries the person has traveled to, the most important detail would be their Social Security number, which can be used to pull credit reports and other personal information.

[femmedem]

6. Answer here:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/21/112546/058/604/481472

[uppityperson]

17. Thank you for that link. Many of us are learning and appreciate the information.

Learning about what "passport info" means. And really appreciate other posters who don't scream "omg, it's about privacy and spying, why don't you care!". rant over, thank you for that link, it tells me more of what "passport info" means.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

7. I found this earlier today

What exactly is a passport record? A passport record typically consists of applications made by a person for a U.S. passport, together with supporting evidence of U.S. citizenship. The records include details such as date and place of birth, naturalization details, family status, occupation and physical characteristics. Passport records do not include evidence of travel, such as exit and entrance stamps, visas or residence permits. Passport records are protected by the Privacy Act of 1974.

<snip>

What individuals and records are covered by the system? The passport records system stores information about people who have applied for or have been issued a passport, or who have asked for an amendment to or renewal of a passport. It contains information on individuals whose passports have been denied, revoked or limited in some way, as well as data on individuals born outside of the country to U.S. citizens, or those who have applied for registration or were registered at U.S diplomatic or consular posts abroad. In addition to those categories of records, the system includes certificates of loss of U.S. nationality and records of death of American citizens abroad.

What else is in the system? In addition to passport applications and the related material, the system stores investigative reports that might have been compiled in connection with granting or denying a passport, or in connection with any violation of passport criminal statutes. It also stores court documents and administrative determinations related to passports and citizenship, as well as copies of birth and baptismal certificates, medical, personal and financial reports and details on arrest warrants of the person applying for, extending or renewing a passport and a person's Social Security number.

How is the information collected? Information comes from the passport applicant as well as law enforcement agencies, investigative and intelligence sources, and officials of foreign governments. The records are stored in paper or electronic format.

More at link: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=it_in_government&articleId=9070438&taxonomyId=69&intsrc=kc_feat

This is all I could find earlier when I was looking. I can't attest to how correct or comprehensive this is however.

[MindPilot]

13. Thank you!

A nice change from the usual condescending replies that seem to have become the standard on DU of late.

[uppityperson]

16. I asked the same thing last night. Here is link to that, has some info and some

of what you have experienced also. And you asked the question much more simply than I did. There are a few answers here, 27 and 47.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3039899&mesg_id=3039899

[Lone_Star_Dem]

18. You're welcome

Try not to let the current prevailing attitude around here get to you. Some people are stretched to their limits and lashing out for no reason at all. When I get unwarranted replies like that to a post I just ignore them and wonder if it made the poster feel a bit better about themselves today.

[suffragette]

20. Very interesting in regard to violation and origins of the Privacy Act of 1974

especially since it was established because of the abuses of Nixon and Watergate.



http://www.judicialwatch.org/pa1974.shtml

The Privacy Act of 1974

The Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a (2000), was born out of the need to protect individuals from illegal surveillance and investigation by federal agencies, a need demonstrated by the Watergate Scandal. The Watergate Scandal exposed the Nixon Administration use of federal agencies to illegally investigate individuals for political purposes. Not only were records being accessed, but agencies were using illegal surveillance as well.

Computers and the ever-expanding use of the social security number as a universal individual identifier makes it easier for the government not only to collect, organize and access an individual’s personal data, but to abuse it as well. The Privacy Act seeks to balance protection of individual rights to privacy against the need for information. A corner stone of the act is the “no disclosure without consent rule.” That is, "No agency shall disclose any record which is contained in a system of records by any means of communication to any person, or to another agency, except pursuant to a written request by, or with the prior written consent of, the individual to whom the record pertains ." 5 U.S.C. § 552a(b).

Other objectives of the Privacy Act include:

§ The individual’s right to access any records that an agency maintains on that individual

§ The individual’s right to seek to have amended agency records containing personal information that is not accurate, relevant, timely or complete

§ “Fair Information Practices” which addresses how agencies collect, maintain, use and disseminate personal information about an individual.

[XOKCowboy]

9. A friend was returning from work in Australia...

He was undergoing a nasty divorce and while he was in Oz his ex had a warrant sworn out for his arrest. So after a 20 hr flight he stumbled into LAX customs and as soon as the customs officer swiped his passport he made a phone call and soon 2 LAPD officers were there to handcuff him and escort him to his flight to Denver. In Denver, two DPD officers arrested and put him in handcuffs at the gate.

There's more on that little mag strip than your name, address and SSN.

[lapfog_1]

10. Even before they started scanning passports

if you traveled to a country where a visa was required, that would be in your file.

If you contacted consular services while traveling, the place, date, and possibly the reason for your contact would be in the file.

Even in the old days before automation, just getting your passport stamped could be entered in your file IF the passport officer made a note of your passport number and so forth. Often when you clear customs they take your passport and either make copies or notes before stamping it and handing it back to you.

[stray cat]

15. supposedly it has your SS #, schools attended, addresses etc...

in the application or at least associated with it.