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It wasn't that long ago that redacted TSA documents were published to the web, leading to all kind of snarky commentary on their inability to not only control their documents, but to delete information they want to keep private.
Unfortunately, the security geniuses at the DHS don't know that drawing black blocks over the words you want to eliminate from your PDF doesn't actually make the words go away, and can be defeated by nefarious al Qaeda operatives through a complex technique known as ctrl-a/ctrl-c/ctrl-v. -- Boing Boing
Just a few weeks later, TSA documents again made it on to the web, this time to the audiences of two respected travel bloggers, Chris Elliott and Steven Frischling. Both bloggers recieved visits from TSA agents. The best place to learn about what happen to these two is on their own blogs:
- The Fallout From SD-1544-09-06 : The Feds At My Door
- Full text of my subpoena from the Department of Homeland Security
Today, the New York Times say that the TSA is demanding source names -- where did the memo come from? And according to the Huffington Post, the TSA is playing hardball with the bloggers.
The agents threatened to get Frischling -- a blogger for KLM airlines -- fired from his job, confiscate all his electronic devices -- phones, computers, and iPods -- and declare him a security risk -- which would get him on the No Fly list -- unless he cooperated. -- HuffPo
The sticking issue? A section of the document that expressly states that it should not be distributed. Both Elliott and Frischling violated those terms.
Department of Homeland Security special agent Nelson Minerly relayed a TSA statement about the agents behavior and the subpoenas, but didn’t comment further:
“Security Directives are not for public disclosure. TSA’s Office of Inspections is currently investigating how the recent Security Directives were acquired and published by parties who should not have been privy to this information.” -- Progressive Nation
Bloggers are spun -- no surprises there -- and travel bloggers are discussing issues that reach far beyond the ethics of taking a free hotel room.
I understand that you don’t like whistleblowers, but you’re going to have to suck it up: online magazines have every bit as much right to protect confidential sources as print magazines do.--Little Miss Atilla
For bloggers, this is a Freedom of the Press issue. Both bloggers, who unlike many of us, do have professional press credentials(Frishling/Fish has worked as a photojournalist, Chris Elliott is currently employed as a syndicated journalist). Are bloggers protected as journalists? Do shield laws, designed to protect journalists from revealing confidential sources, apply to bloggers? Either way, the majority of states have these laws, but the federal government does not, and blogging can transcend state and national boundaries. Laws need to be rewritten or expanded to include this newer type of journalism.--Flight Wisdom
While it's understandable why the TSA would want to know where leaks in their offices are coming from, are they unfairly bullying bloggers? The well-sourced bloggers who consistently break news will not be swayed against stopping by this situation, but these two now face a difficult and important decision. Should they avoid legal trouble for themselves by giving up their sources? Or should they hold themselves to the . journalistic standards they teach in J-school? How will one decision or another affect the blogging community and its efforts to be accepted as legitimate news sources?-- Media Bistro
This situation is still unfolding. On a personal note, I'd just traded email with Chris Elliott and was hoping to see him in Seattle in January. I sincerely hope that his choices don't land him in jail, as he's suggested could happen. And I find myself on the side of applauding his decision -- and that of Steven Frischling -- to publish the TSA's policy. Elliott provided a sane and credible source for TSA policy and proceedure during the days immediately following attempt to create an explosion on the Christmas Day Detroit flight. He did a better job at informing the public than the TSA did. Had the TSA -- they have a blog and a website -- published useful information to the public, we'd not have been looking elsewhere.
Pam blogs about travel and other adventures at Nerd's Eye View.
Nerd's Eye View
@nerdseyeview
