European Parliament Considers Sharing Passenger Information By Default

An anonymous reader writes The EU Passenger Name Record (PNR) proposal which was defeated in April of last year has returned to consideration in the European Parliament today. The law would require that airlines provide extensive personal details of anyone flying into or out of Europe. The information would include name, address, phone numbers, credit card information and travel itinerary. Director of Europol Rob Wainwright says that PNR is within the bounds of "reasonable measures" in the struggle against terrorism, and that possible threats against Europe have increased in the more than 12 months since the law was last rejected. Dutch MEP Sophie In't Veld is arguing that the Data Protection Directive should be put into place before any such systematized disclosure be ratified. "They want unlimited powers," she said. "they don't want to be bound by rules or data protection authorities and that's the reality."

Comments

Fear

[Aethedor]

And the reason for this all: fear. Fear for terrorists, fear for being held responsible, fear for the unknown. We live in a world in which we no longer accept any kind of risk. No matter how low that risk. Well, at least risks we are aware of. We fear terrorists, we fear ebola, we fear being robbed in the streets while at the same time we smoke, eat unhealthy food, practice dangerous sports and get in the car. Every day we do things that are more dangerous than the things we fear most.

Yes, terrorists should be stopped, but not at all cost. And there is no way to make 100% sure no terrorist will ever hit us. So, stop pretending we can! Stop wasting our time, money and privacy to give us false security! And if a terrorists hits us and kills 20 people, is say: that's bad but it isn't the end of the world. Life goes on. In the same time more people are killed for other reasons and we don't even hear about them!

Look at Boston. Despite all the anti-terrorist measures in America, it was still possible to do this kind of attack. And what happened to Boston? Nothing, they moved on. And that's how it should be done. Yes, it's easy for me to say because I haven't lost any family or friends in that attack. But that is the right way to look at it for politicians. Respond to it with logic and common sense and not with fear and emotion. Because that only makes it worse!

Re:Fear

[Harlequin80]

Go back to the 80s and look at London and the rest of the UK. The IRA was threatening all sorts of bloodshed and people made a point of still going out and living their lives. It was promoted that to not live you life as normal was letting them win. To me it felt like 9/11 changed that attitude world wide.

Re:Fear

[Aethedor]

Politics is mostly to blame for that. Even here in the Netherlands we have awareness campaigns like 'Netherlands against Terrorism'. We don't have any significant terrorist threat in the Netherlands. None of us has ever seen a terrorist and will most likely never do. So, the only thing that campaign does is put fear in our minds.

Re:Fear

[Thanshin]

No.

The reason for this is people's ignorance. They want the information and they just chose the excuse that's easiest to justify in the current situation.

If the cold war was still on, the reason to ask for all the data would be "communists!".
Then it was "Drugs!".
Now, it's "Terrorists!".
Soon it will be "Pandemia!".
Later "Organized crime!".
And then "Aliens!".

Re:Fear

[jenningsthecat]

And the reason for this all: fear... Every day we do things that are more dangerous than the things we fear most... Respond to it with logic and common sense and not with fear and emotion.

Your sane, logical argument almost tempts me to forget my belief that the source of all these silly, over-the-top 'precautions' is not fear - it's greed, and lust for power. The fear you speak of does exist among the people, but it is a fear that has been purposely manufactured and is carefully nourished. Entire industries have sprung up around 'terrorism'; millions of (entirely parasitic) jobs are on the line, as well as minor and not-so-minor financial empires. Creating and fuelling paranoia is big business - hell, it's a growth industry, and a saviour to the military-industrial complex once threatened by the end of the Cold War.

The question to ask, always, is "cui bono?" Governments, (i.e. the executive branches of trans-national corporations), use propaganda as advertising, to sell fear and to promote compliance with authority.