Why do I hate the concept of the Total Information Awareness concept? It’s because of the amount of data that can be tracked. As this article at Wired demonstrates, there’s a lot of information on us that can be aggregated into a very scary, personal profile. Computer databases can tie in air, car rental and hotel reservation information to come up with a profile showing what you like to eat, what kind of rooms you like, who you stayed with in a hotel, and more.
While it is bad enough that businesses can gather this type of data, there is a safeguard there. Most companies publish and adhere to a privacy policy, and most privacy policies protect the consumer (so the company doesn’t expose themselves to a lawsuit).
The government, however, is using the Total Information Awareness vileness as an excuse to sidestep all privacy policies. The government actually wants to exempt these databases (such as CAPPS II) from privacy laws. In other words, the government wants to be able to use this information for any use they can think of, without having to ask permission or notify anyone. This is evil, pure and simple.
We are slipping further and further into an Orwellian nightmare. Someone stop the boat; I want off!