EPIC has sent it's joint letter to OMB regarding the Justice Department's recent decision to lift the Privacy Act requirement that the FBI ensure the accuracy and completeness of the over 39 million criminal records it maintains in its National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. 75 different organizations, including my publication signed the letter. It seems that the FBI and Justice want names in the database as fast as possible, accuracy be damned. What a frightening prospect. In effect, Justice is setting itself up to be able to put anything in the database without any sort of assurance that it's correct or believed to be correct. If I were an FBI agent and a little dishonest now and then in my job, I wonder if repealing this regulation would be of assistance to my efforts? Hmmm.
If this doesn't scare you, perhaps you won't mind the body cavity search either.
I hope those jackboots make Ashcroft's feet hurt.