EU wary of giving passenger data to US

[Nottingham]

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/world/story/0,4386,211090,00.html?

EU wary of giving passenger data to US
US request meant to fight terror, but privacy breach is top concern as people may be wrongly probed

BRUSSELS - Europe's willingness to cooperate with a security-conscious US government appears to have reached its limit.

The United States wants European Union (EU) airlines to hand over personal information on passengers crossing the Atlantic as part of Washington's efforts to defuse terror threats after the Sept 11 attacks.
European Commissioner Frits Bolkestein and Mr Asa Hutchinson, Undersecretary for Border and Transportation Security at the US Department for Homeland Security, were meeting yesterday to discuss the US request.

But privacy advocates have urged the European Commission to insist that the US comply with EU privacy rules when handling such data.
Some fear the information could be misused and result in people being mistakenly questioned or arrested.
'European airline passengers have reason to worry about the current situation,' said Mr Maurice Wessling, head of privacy group European Digital Rights.


snip...
On Friday, US discount carrier JetBlue Airways admitted that it breached its own privacy pledges by providing a Pentagon contractor with personal information on more than one million passengers to help it catch terrorists.
Washington insists the issue is one of mutual security and that the EU should put aside concerns over privacy.
But European Commission spokesman Jonathan Todd said: 'We would like to reconcile their requirements to fight terrorism with our privacy requirements.' -- Reuters, New York Times


Ya europeans have rights! Remember that! :bounce:

[Don_G]

1. All Right!!!

Asskrap is not only one paranoid SOB but one of the few politicans who lost an election to a corpse. Now that is hard to do!!!

[burrowowl]

2. I don't

blame them. There goes our tourist industry, Especially since the dollar is cheaper for them now.
Soon there will be a tax increase for airlines and the tourist industry.

[PartyPooper]

3. No 'Jet Blue' for me! And, I will only fly to Europe on 'Air France'!

Jet Blue is owned by a Republican from Utah! :-(

And, I will only fly Southwest in the U.S....and, Air France on international flights! I can no longer trust British Air because of Poodle!

Oh, how I miss the good ole' days of Pan Am! No muss...no fuss! And, you had to actually 'dress up' to travel...the 'air hostesses' expected nothing less! Those were America's golden days of travel!

:D

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Think again...

from the article:
"British Airways, Air France and Lufthansa have been handing over the data since March."
Of course, other airlines might have been handing it over as well - maybe they just listed the major ones.

[Nottingham]

4. Did you guys see this "a Pentagon contractor "

What does a "a Pentagon contractor" need to know about passenger information??

What Pentagon Contractor are we talking about???