Monday, August 21, 2006
Dispatches from the Soft Cage
I can't wait for this to get here:
But at least we've taken the lead on something:
posted by Scats : 8/21/2006 05:16:00 PM
The government is reportedly planning to fit all cars in Britain with a personalised microchip so rule-breaking motorists can be prosecuted by computer.
The chip will automatically report a wide range of offences including speeding, road tax evasion and illegal parking, according to The Sunday Times newspaper.
It will even record every time motorists drive in bus lanes, The Sun reports.
But at least we've taken the lead on something:
...“behaviour detection squads” will patrol terminals to monitor the gestures, conversations and facial expressions of passengers. One of their aims will be to spot those who may be concealing fear or anxiety.
People deemed to be acting suspiciously will be taken for questioning and prevented from flying if they fail to explain their actions.
UK trainers have studied the techniques in America, where behaviour detection squads are already deployed at airports.
The plan is part of an overhaul of passenger screening. Instead of solely relying on searches to uncover weapons and bombs, airport authorities are increasingly seeking to pinpoint the terrorists themselves.
In the long run, passengers flying from international hubs such as Heathrow and Gatwick could even face a lie-detector test before they board.
In America behaviour detection officers are working at a dozen airports, including Washington Dulles and Boston Logan. The programme, called Screening Passengers by Observation Technique, or Spot, is run by the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
posted by Scats : 8/21/2006 05:16:00 PM
