The Transportation Security Agency last week circulated a notice to Federal Air Marshals regarding protection of sensitive data (pdf). A copy was obtained by Secrecy News.
The notice focuses on Sensitive Security Information (SSI) and so-called Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
SSI is transportation security-related information that is exempt from disclosure.
Sensitive PII includes social security numbers, drivers license numbers and similar data.
The proliferation of new categories and new acronyms for restricting disclosure of information is not helpful, said P. Jeffrey Black, who is himself a Federal Air Marshal and a whistleblower.
“Employee personal identification information is protected under the Privacy Act. There is no reason to come up with yet another acronymed classification for something that is already protected by Act of Congress,” Mr. Black said in response to an inquiry from Secrecy News.
The public rarely sees the quiet, often messy work that goes into creating, passing, and implementing a major piece of legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act.
If this proposed rule were enacted it would have deleterious effects on government workers in general and federal researchers and scientists, specifically.
When we introduce “at-will” employment to government employees, we also introduce the potential for environments where people are more concerned about self-preservation than service to others.
There is no better time to re-invigorate America’s innovation edge by investing in R&D to create and capture “industries of the future,” re-shoring capital and expertise, and working closely with allies to expand our capabilities while safeguarding those technologies that are critical to our security.