Passenger screening: Behaviour profiling?

[Cheese]

It appears as though the next step in regards to screening for terrorism at airports is behaviour profiling....thoughts?

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority sees the technique, known as behavioural pattern recognition, as another layer of protection against would-be terrorists.
"It's something that we're keeping very close tabs on, and it is certainly of interest to us," said CATSA spokeswoman Renee Fairweather.
The initiative would involve training airport screeners to pick up on cues - from facial expressions to vocal patterns - that might indicate a person has something to hide.

Behaviour Profiling

[Azure]

Well no kidding.

Isn't that their job in the first place? Just like a border agent will ask you certain question and decide whether your vehicle should be searched or not, based on your response, as should the CATSA.

[octothorp]

Behavior-screening seems too easy to elude. Terrorists just need to work on their poker faces, figure out what the likely tells are, and practice their answers to all likely questions.

And it seems to me like it can't help turn into a system for racial profiling. If you pick-out the 22-year-old arab guy because he looks nervous and keeps checking his watch, are you going to pick out the 80-year-old white woman who has the exact same behavior, or will you dismiss her as simply being nervous about flying?

[theikon]

I have no problem being screened. It's true that most muslims are not terrorists, but most terrorists are Muslims. Being Muslim myself, I feel a lot safter when every guy that looks like a potential terrorist is screened. Even if that means I have get patted down everytime I show up for a flight. I have nothing to hide, so why worry?

[arsenal]

Originally Posted by theikon

I have no problem being screened. It's true that most muslims are not terrorists, but most terrorists are Muslims. Being Muslim myself, I feel a lot safter when every guy that looks like a potential terrorist is screened. Even if that means I have get patted down everytime I show up for a flight. I have nothing to hide, so why worry?

Because that is profiling based on race, and that is bad. :baby:

I agree with you though Ikon. This is about keeping people safe, and keeping planes from blowing up in midair. Not about who's feelings get hurt. If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to worry about.

[White Doors]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Behavior-screening seems too easy to elude. Terrorists just need to work on their poker faces, figure out what the likely tells are, and practice their answers to all likely questions.

And it seems to me like it can't help turn into a system for racial profiling. If you pick-out the 22-year-old arab guy because he looks nervous and keeps checking his watch, are you going to pick out the 80-year-old white woman who has the exact same behavior, or will you dismiss her as simply being nervous about flying?

Works for Israel's airline, can't rememebr the name of it now.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by White Doors

Works for Israel's airline, can't rememebr the name of it now.

But the practises used by El Al aren't really the same as the practices described in the article, and could be considered unconstitutional (and impractical) in the US or Canada: they interview every passenger, but generally classify Arab males as high-threat, and give them a more rigorous interview than westerners or jews. El Al security is unquestionably the most thorough in the world, and given the risk to their airlines they are justified in their processes. But I don't see the same system being accepted here.

[White Doors]

Actually, a spokesperson for El Al said that their system is behavioural only. He explictily said race based is not only wrong, but it doesn't work.

[redforever]

El Al security is unquestionably the most thorough in the world, and given the risk to their airlines they are justified in their processes. But I don't see the same system being accepted here

Why cant it be implemented in Canada under the same process? Since when do individual rights preclude the safety of the nation?

[jolinar of malkshor]

My view is that profiling is a good thing. It's called risk managment. Lets use are resources to search high risk individuals instead of saying "we cant offend people so we will treat everyone the same" including little old ladies and children.

Come on. Until Canada decideds to get some balls and stop worrying about who we will offend, our security efforts will be limited and wasteful.

[ken0042]

Funny thing; the lady behind me at security in Winnipeg yesterday decided to carry on all of her luggage. The security guy warned her that she should take her bags to be checked; or any prohibited items would be confiscated.

I think she ended up losing more than half her stuff by the time they were done.

My point is that even though she didn't look like a bad person, and who in their right minds would hijack a Winnipeg to Saskatoon to Calgary flight, it was good to see them treating everybody with the same level of caution.

And for the record I didn't have an issue with them making me take my belt off at Calgary security on Thursday.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Funny thing; the lady behind me at security in Winnipeg yesterday decided to carry on all of her luggage. The security guy warned her that she should take her bags to be checked; or any prohibited items would be confiscated.

I think she ended up losing more than half her stuff by the time they were done.

My point is that even though she didn't look like a bad person, and who in their right minds would hijack a Winnipeg to Saskatoon to Calgary flight, it was good to see them treating everybody with the same level of caution.

And for the record I didn't have an issue with them making me take my belt off at Calgary security on Thursday.

They can still run everyones luggage and carry on thru the x-ray unit. I have seen to many times where CATSA is doing body pat downs on little old people. Come on.

Not to mention them wasting time checking the pilots.