3 ms·

So this is codified racial-profiling and intuition-profiling (that singles out people with dreadlocks, arabs, sick people, stressed people etc.) unlike all othe

by fijal 12y ago

So this is codified racial-profiling and intuition-profiling (that singles out people with dreadlocks, arabs, sick people, stressed people etc.) unlike all other un-codified profiling employed by virtually all agents of all border security things all over the planet. If you don't believe me, try flying visually sick and you'll be questioned over and over again (not about being sick or having ebola, mind you).

Swizec 12y ago
That's why whenever I'm crossing the US border I put on a button-up shirt and some nice shoes. Coupled with a EU passport, the effect is marvelous. When I'm going for anything under two months, they let me through with as little as a 30 second conversation. (it also helps that I've got a business visa that says I can stay for 6months at a time)
- fijal 12y ago
  Remember to US border officer EU passport is not a thing (Polish vs English or German for example). Either way they should totally run a rent-a-suit shop on the border ;-)
pyrophane 12y ago
Yes, exactly. It makes the criteria for singling out someone subjective and impossible to verify, so it empowers TSA to target whoever they please without any real fear of being held accountable for it.
- fijal 12y ago
  You missed my point. All officers around the world already employ criteria that are subjective and impossible to verify, TSA went one step ahead and actually admitted it. Did you cross any international borders recently? While holding e.g. Iranian passport?
arafa 12y ago
SPOT is based on the Facial Action Coding System (FACS), a method developed by Paul Ekman to read faces (familiar to fans of the show Lie to Me): http://www.denverpost.com/editorials/ci_24533526/face-it-tsa-behavioral-screening-is-failing http://www.denverpost.com/editorials/ci_24533526/face-it-tsa... While the data behind using FACS to spot emotions (EMFACS) is solid (https://books.google.com/books?id=W_npWdrHGFcC&pg=PA47&lpg=PA47&dq=EMFACS+studies&source=bl&ots=LauXrYExMj&sig=srjWc94XJma8hnFmZWPihXYdvZI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=n3wRVYLwKIiayASdj4LABg&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=EMFACS%20studies&f=false https://books.google.com/books?id=W_npWdrHGFcC&pg=PA47&lpg=P...), the record on using it to spot lies, terrorists, or otherwise discovering the intentions behind those emotions is not good (http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/gao-says-there-is-no-evidence-that-a-tsa-program-to-spot-terrorists-is-effective/2013/11/13/fca999a0-4c93-11e3-be6b-d3d28122e6d4_story.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/gao-...). One huge issue is that a scared terrorist looks the same as a scared person singled out for screening, and there are many times more of the latter. This is a specific issue Ekman brings up in his work when using FACS for lie detection. FACS is much better in finding out how someone is feeling rather than what they're thinking. But you need to know intentions to figure out if someone is a terrorist.
- technofiend 12y ago
  What if I'm scared I'm going to miss my flight? Or I have to go to the restroom urgently and I'm afraid all these questions will have unintended consequences? LOL. As you say no way to read intent.

by fijal 12y ago

Swizec 12y ago

That's why whenever I'm crossing the US border I put on a button-up shirt and some nice shoes. Coupled with a EU passport, the effect is marvelous. When I'm going for anything under two months, they let me through with as little as a 30 second conversation. (it also helps that I've got a business visa that says I can stay for 6months at a time)

fijal 12y ago
Remember to US border officer EU passport is not a thing (Polish vs English or German for example). Either way they should totally run a rent-a-suit shop on the border ;-)

pyrophane 12y ago

Yes, exactly. It makes the criteria for singling out someone subjective and impossible to verify, so it empowers TSA to target whoever they please without any real fear of being held accountable for it.

fijal 12y ago
You missed my point. All officers around the world already employ criteria that are subjective and impossible to verify, TSA went one step ahead and actually admitted it. Did you cross any international borders recently? While holding e.g. Iranian passport?

arafa 12y ago

SPOT is based on the Facial Action Coding System (FACS), a method developed by Paul Ekman to read faces (familiar to fans of the show Lie to Me): http://www.denverpost.com/editorials/ci_24533526/face-it-tsa-behavioral-screening-is-failing http://www.denverpost.com/editorials/ci_24533526/face-it-tsa... While the data behind using FACS to spot emotions (EMFACS) is solid (https://books.google.com/books?id=W_npWdrHGFcC&pg=PA47&lpg=PA47&dq=EMFACS+studies&source=bl&ots=LauXrYExMj&sig=srjWc94XJma8hnFmZWPihXYdvZI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=n3wRVYLwKIiayASdj4LABg&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=EMFACS%20studies&f=false https://books.google.com/books?id=W_npWdrHGFcC&pg=PA47&lpg=P...), the record on using it to spot lies, terrorists, or otherwise discovering the intentions behind those emotions is not good (http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/gao-says-there-is-no-evidence-that-a-tsa-program-to-spot-terrorists-is-effective/2013/11/13/fca999a0-4c93-11e3-be6b-d3d28122e6d4_story.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/gao-...). One huge issue is that a scared terrorist looks the same as a scared person singled out for screening, and there are many times more of the latter. This is a specific issue Ekman brings up in his work when using FACS for lie detection. FACS is much better in finding out how someone is feeling rather than what they're thinking. But you need to know intentions to figure out if someone is a terrorist.

technofiend 12y ago
What if I'm scared I'm going to miss my flight? Or I have to go to the restroom urgently and I'm afraid all these questions will have unintended consequences? LOL. As you say no way to read intent.