Why Data Mining Won't Stop Terror

[NVMojo]

In the post-9/11 world, there's much focus on connecting the dots. Many believe data mining is the crystal ball that will enable us to uncover future terrorist plots. But even in the most wildly optimistic projections, data mining isn't tenable for that purpose. We're not trading privacy for security; we're giving up privacy and getting no security in return.

Most people first learned about data mining in November 2002, when news broke about a massive government data mining program called Total Information Awareness. The basic idea was as audacious as it was repellent: suck up as much data as possible about everyone, sift through it with massive computers, and investigate patterns that might indicate terrorist plots.

Americans across the political spectrum denounced the program, and in September 2003, Congress eliminated its funding and closed its offices.

But TIA didn't die. According to The National Journal, it just changed its name and moved inside the Defense Department.

more...

http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,70357-0.html?tw=wn_politics_1

[savemefromdumbya]

1. nothing will stop terror

[teryang]

2. Data mining is about totalitarianism n/t

[bemildred]

3. The problem of too many false positives and false negatives

will not be solved anytime soon, and that was obvious going in. In many respects the primary utility of these programs is as a means of government intimidation, to suggest that the government is watching even though it - in fact - lacks that capability.