Big Brother’s Helpful Traveling Tool ~ Future Fridays

Big Bro's Travel App...Will it make your life easier? by R.J. Pawlick (photo of man on cell phone sitting)

G’day everyone,

With this passport app on your iPhone or Android, US & Canadian passport holders can supposedly breeze through US Customs & Border Control when re-entering the country.

This app is supposed to replace those tiny blue forms we’re handed seconds before the plane door opens. Instead of frantically completing one form for each family member, it seems we can use our time in the air leisurely typing in all required info for all our traveling family members once. No forms upon landing?

Okay, my family and I have traveled internationally a lot, so I see the benefit in having such an app on my phone. As a matter of fact, I do have it on my iPhone, and it appears to be very straightforward and easy to follow.

Having said that, I do have two concerns, and both have everything to do with the US government. Firstly, when traveling internationally, I have never seen our government do anything to improve processes — “Security Theater” comes first to mind. Long lines and obvious questions seem the norm.

Secondly, does this app REALLY work? Well, the article’s author states that the app’s data is accepted at 26 US airports and 3 cruise ports around the country. Seems well implemented, and reviews are generally favorable.

So, here’s my overarching concern: In exchange for supposedly faster processing times upon landing and the ability to fill out required info at one’s leisure, what are we giving up?

Freedom, folks — we are giving the Federal government a method to monitor our every movement. This app is a direct connection between internationally traveling US passport holders and Big Brother. No longer does our government need judicial approval or the cooperation of nerdy tech-company executives to get access to all of our information at any time.

Am I a conspiracy theorist or a fatalist? Hardly — I am a seasoned traveler, however, and am well aware of data-mining efforts. I installed this app on my iPhone as research for this post.

Will I keep it on my phone? No way, but I fear the damage is already done. During this time of extreme paranoia and suspicion, of which I am now contributing, I cannot shake the specter of the Orwellian Big Brother. I can remove the app from my phone, but I doubt it will truly be gone. I suspect I installed a Trojan horse that delivered a parasitic data-capturing app that is permanently stored on my phone’s data — delivered in the form of a time-saving customs-clearance app.

Oh, dear folks, I used to work fairly near the top of state government. I’ve seen the blatant nonsense first hand, and it isn’t pretty.


Now, go out and try to have a nice day.

~ R.J.

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