In recent months, both foreign tourists and American citizens have started to be concerned about their privacy, especially when flying. With new technology such as facial recognition procedures and the many cyberattacks often targeting airlines, there are good reasons to be concerned.
Unfortunately, a data broker has recently been found selling passengers’ sensitive data to U.S. governmental agencies. A contract obtained by 404 Media, an independent media company founded by technology journalists Jason Koebler, Emanuel Maiberg, Samantha Cole, and Joseph Cox, shows how Customs and Border Protection (CBP) purchased data from the data broker Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC).
ARC is allegedly the world’s largest repository of global airline tickets and is owned by at least eight major airlines. Its Board of Directors includes representatives from United, American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, Alaska Airlines, and JetBlue, to name a few. According to the Statement of Work, the data sold to CBP includes passengers' names, date of birth, flight itineraries, and financial details. The document also clearly states that the governmental agencies had to agree to never openly declare where the data came from unless absolutely necessary, such as when ordered to do so by a court.
Following the news, most privacy experts shared their concerns. 404 Media contacted the airlines involved in the issue as well as ARC; they all refused to comment. The CBP, on the other hand, stated that such data is necessary to help local and national police, especially in the case of ongoing investigations.
A data broker owned by some of the most popular U.S. airlines sold private passengers’ data to CBP. The contract between ARC and CBP stated that the latter could not reveal where the data came from.
The Statement of Work, a document describing why an agency decided to purchase a specific tool, states that the DHS and the CBP required the Travel Intelligence Program (TIP) operated by ARC to support federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
The Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) states it has the world’s largest repository of global airline tickets. According to its official website, it has data on:
15 billion passenger flights
490 airlines
230 countries and territories
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