flyclear.com and privacy

I sent out various forms of this letter to various elected officials today.


Dear ,

I am writing because I am worried about an issue which just unfolded in the last 24 hours. I have a membership with flyclear.com. They are a business which was based on collecting a lot of private data, prescreening it with the TSA, and then offering the customer the ability to bypass most of the security lines at airports.

Last night, they ceased operations.

I am gravely concerned about my personal data that they have, which includes my social security number, fingerprints, and images of my eyes. I think that it is highly appropriate for the Department of Homeland Security or some other government entity to seize that data until a satisfactory resolution as to what to do with it is reached. There is grave danger of this data being sold commercially, or being stolen and sold to other governments or to terrorists.

This business already had one security breach in August of 2008; I am not convinced that in their efforts to appease their creditors that they won't do something stupid.

Thank you for your attention,



Sydney Polk