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Government Data Warehousing and Surveillance

This article describes the results of a year-long audit by the federal General Accounting Office on the use of personal information by the government. It's much more widespread than has been previously reported, but not more than many people suspected. Interesting how TIA (blogged earlier) has morphed into MATRIX at the state level, and is very much alive. Snippet:
U.S. agencies collect, examine personal data on Americans

By Audrey Hudson, Washington Times, May 28, 2004

Numerous federal government agencies are collecting and sifting through massive amounts of personal information, including credit reports, credit-card purchases and other financial data, posing new privacy concerns, according to the General Accounting Office (GAO).

The GAO surveyed 128 federal departments and agencies and found that 52 are using, or planning to implement, 199 data-mining programs, with 131 already operational.

The Education, Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, Interior, Labor, Justice, and Treasury departments are among those that use the contentious new technology to detect criminal or terrorist activity; manage human resources; gauge scientific research; detect fraud, waste and abuse; and monitor tax compliance.

The audit released yesterday shows 36 data-mining programs collect and analyze personal information that is purchased from the private sector, including credit reports and credit-card transactions. Additionally, 46 federal agencies share personal information that includes student-loan application data, bank-account numbers, credit-card information and taxpayer-identification numbers.

Posted by Mark Friday, May 28, 2004 12:40:00 PM | permalink | (0) comments

More Data Quality Problems at Homeland Security

The more integrated these "crime fighting" systems get, the more garbage they process, and the more time and money they waste. Our government needs an overhaul of the way they plan, manage and use these systems to prevent them from becoming completely useless. Today's case The Google Terrorist:

It was the lead item on the government's daily threat matrix one day last April. Don Emilio Fulci described by an FBI tipster as a reclusive but evil millionaire, had formed a terrorist group that was planning chemical attacks against London and Washington, D.C. That day even FBI director Robert Mueller was briefed on the Fulci matter. But as the day went on without incident, a White House staffer had a brainstorm: He Googled Fulci. His findings: Fulci is the crime boss in the popular video game Headhunter. "Stand down," came the order from embarrassed national security types.

Posted by Mark Thursday, May 13, 2004 1:07:00 PM | permalink | (0) comments

Have You Seen These?

I just arrived at the Data Warehouse Institute conference where I'll be giving a talk on evaluating ETL tools. After checking in I found one of those nice cards the TSA leaves after going through one's luggage. I also found that the TSA stole my pants. First order of business: go shopping so I don't act out one of those nightmares about public speaking.

Once I've freed up some web site space I will post a link to the slides for the presentation here. Check back at the end of the week after the conference is over.

Posted by Mark Sunday, May 09, 2004 1:01:00 PM | permalink | (0) comments