Future Attribute Screening Technology: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:05, 3 October 2019

Revision as of 18:37, 16 March 2020

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[[File:fast tsa screen.jpg|thumb|right|250px|FAST screenshot (blurred)]]

'''Future Attribute Screening Technology''' ('''FAST''')<ref>[https://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2008/09/precrime-detector-is-showing-p.html newscientist.com]</ref> is a program created by the [[Department of Homeland Security]]. It was originally titled [[Project Hostile Intent]]. The purpose is to detect "Mal Intent" by screening people for "psychological and physiological indicators"<ref name=natg/> in a "Mobile Screening Laboratory".<ref name=dtic/>

==Background ==

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*[[Draper Lab]], Boston, MA<ref name=natg/>

**$2.6 million DHS contract in 2009<ref name=siw/>

*[[Navy Research Laboratory]] - working—working on a FAST related project<ref name=siw/>

==Controversy==

Other researchers, such as Tom Ormerod of the Investigative Expertise Unit at the UK's [[Lancaster University]], argue that ordinary travel anxieties could cause false positives - Ormerodpositives—Ormerod told ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'' "even having an iris scan or fingerprint read at immigration is enough to raise the heart rate of most legitimate travellers".<ref name=nature1/> Others noted that the basic premise may be flawed. Steven Aftergood, a senior research analyst at the Federation of American Scientists, stated "I believe that the premise of this approach — thatapproach—that there is an identifiable physiological signature uniquely associated with malicious intent — isintent—is mistaken. To my knowledge, it has not been demonstrated." The ''Nature'' article in which he was quoted went on to note that Altergood is concerned that the technology "will produce a large proportion of false positives, frequently tagging innocent people as potential terrorists and making the system unworkable in a busy airport."<ref name=nature1/>

Due to the ability of the system to 'read people's thoughts', it is potentially in violation of privacy laws such as the [[Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Fourth]] and [[Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution]]. A summary of the scientific and legal issues with the program was presented at [[DEF CON]] in 2011 by independent security researchers.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[DEF CON]] |title=DEF CON 19 Speakers |url=https://www.defcon.org/html/defcon-19/dc-19-speakers.html#Rezchikov |accessdate=2011-11-12}}</ref>

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== See also ==

*[[Backscatter X-ray]]

*Dr. [[Lawrence Farwell]]

*[[Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution]]

*[[The Minority Report]]