Here Mr. Terrorist, Would You Mind If We Clipped This Monitoring Tag To Your Back?
from the security-theater dept
Some researchers in London say that tagging every passenger in airports with RFID could help fight terrorism. Well, they could give everybody some chewing gum, and that might help fight terrorism, too, and quite frankly, this plan sounds about as useful. The RFID tags would would be used to track passengers around the airport, and work with a set of security cameras that could follow particular people as they move around, and the researchers say it would help by allowing suspicious passengers to be tracked, and to keep them out of secure areas. That's a rather limited set of benefits, nevermind one that could be accomplished without giving every single passenger an RFID tag -- and ensuring they keep it with them at all times. Without the device somehow being locked to or implanted in people, any potential ne'er-do-well could simply ditch it, or attach it to someone else. Never mind the problem many people would have with this type of surveillance for a moment, and focus instead on the sheer uselessness of the system: it won't stop anybody from actually doing anything dangerous or criminal, it just means that if a person's been flagged as suspicious, they can be identified, and the system can follow them, and then they do something, it might get caught on camera. Clearly technology has a lot to offer security, but that doesn't mean that simply applying some technology like RFID without any real thought is a good idea.
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Actually...
In addition... sensors inside of non-standard areas (read trash bins, etc.) could alert security if this sort of item is ditched, or if one of these things "sits" in one spot for too long personel could do a camera ck to make sure there's a person WITH it.
This could actually be used very effectively. I won't venture to say that a gov't body would be smart enough to do it this way of course, but in theory they could.
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Re: Actually...
The money that this would cost could be better spent on real security measures, like checking the cargo that somehow gets put on a plane (or ship) with only the assurance of the shipper that it is OK.
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Re: Actually...
To do what? If people are bent on hurting themselves along with other people this does shit. Not to mention that often terrorists have legal passports and are undetectable without intelligence on the inside to weed them out. People that believe this kind of shit will work are just plain dumb.
We don't need less freedom to be secure - we need more intelligence. Fucking sheeple.
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And unfortunately, you can't stop terrorism with a full frontal assault, it may slow its progression, but one could argue it is part of the equation that propels terrorism forward in the first place.
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Re:
Actually, the only people that argue that have a jackass as their political symbol. I suppose bending over and taking it in the poop chute is the solution. ;P
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1. All passengers must be naked to board the plane.
2. No luggage or personal belongings are allowed in the plane.
3. Steel doors between the flight cabin and passengers that cannot be opened (inside or out). Yes that's right the pilots are built into the cabin and spend the rest of their career inside.
4. Fake oxygen masks which in the event of a terrorist attack can be used to release a tranquilizer to knock everyone out.
5. No flight staff except the pilots, who as I said were built into the cockpit.
That should cover it ;-)
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Release them into the wild!
Woohoo!
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Let's just say there is a way to make the RFID tag stays on each and every passenger - what then? how can it be used to prevent terrorism? What would the terrorist do in the first place? How is it by following these guys we can stop them from doing things? WHO are these guys in the first place?
You see the real problem is not in the means to stop them. But in knowing what to stop and who to stop in the first place. Once (the govt) nails that, theres many ways to stop them.
My vote would be, the moneys for these tags would be better off pouredfor invetsigation undercover work 'info gathering' type of thing.
just personal opinion. :D
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Truthfully...
Security is in place that is far beyond these "pleasing the populace" anti-terrorism countermeasures. Rest assured, "Big Brother" is watching, has been watching, and won't miss again.
-Regards,
Anon
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Re: Truthfully...
The so-called security measures at airports do seem quite ridiculous. If someone was truly bent on taking down a plane, I really don't see how the current "pleasing the populace" security measures that are in place would really stop them.
It pleases me to think that there is much more behind our security than making sure we don't have more than 3oz of liquid in any one given container.
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Rock On
Oh thats right we will, with higher priced tickets.
So not only do terrorists make it take longer to get through an airport.. now it will cost more.
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I have a solution.
Robot planes, with no external communication except for between the plane's computer and the ground.
Then even if the plane was hijacked, what could happen? Not like they can force it to land.
Until the machines in the plane evolve enough to seek self-preservation. Then we arm them (the planes) with the sleeping gas mentioned in one of the above comments.
And now, to make every other aspect of our lives so enshrined in fear that the Terrorists win.
Woo.
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Tag the luggage
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- Screening ALL airport personel, from pilots to security people to the luggage handlers. Especially luggage handlers.
- Paying attention to restricted area and who has access there.
- Screening *all* luggage for explosive/dangerous devices. It does not need to explode to endanger the airplane.
- Screen all additional cargo that goes on planes.
- Make sure that if someone does not board the plane, his/her checked luggage does not sit in the airplane.
But it's hard. Or expensive. Or both. And making up technology based pixie dust is more glamorous than tackling the actual problems. Not to mention more lucrative.
"Everybody down, I'm taking over this airplane. I have a bottle of evian and a tube of toothpaste, and I'm not afraid to use it"
Idiots.
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ORLY?
At best, the safety measures merely create an atmosphere of fear and make the American people feel like they're under siege (reelect the guy who's going to save us from terrorism!).
At worst, someone does manage to hijack/blow up/crash a plane again, giving the conquest of the Middle East a much needed momentum boost (reelect the guy who's going to save us from terrorism!).
And in the end, the next bomb is going to be carried onto a subway train or parked in front of a building. Good job.
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