TROUBLE WITH THE TERRORIST WATCH LIST DATABASE

Executive Summary

The concepts of information systems that are relevant to Trouble with the Terrorist Watch List
Database. We will also address why the watch list was created and what communication
benefits it has. There have been a number of weaknesses addressed within the case study we will
have a look at what management, organization and technology factors are responsible and what I
would do to rectify these issues. Data administration, which is responsible for the specific
policies and procedures through which data can be managed as an organizational resource. These
responsibilities include developing information policy, planning data, overseeing logical data
base design and data dictionary development, and monitoring how information system specialists
and end-user groups use data. Information policy also is mentioned because it specifies the
organizations rules for sharing, disseminating, acquiring, standardizing, classifying, and
inventorying information. Information policies is significant due to the specific procedures and
accountabilities, identifying which users and organizational units can share the information
making it easier to share and maintain complete control of the terrorist data shared between
certain important individuals. Lastly have privacy and constitutional rights been threaded and the
importance of business ethics.

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1. What concepts in this chapter are illustrated in this case?

The concept illustrated in this case is about managing data resources. Managing data resources
includes establishing an information policy, and ensuring data quality. In this case, it tells about
how they manage database about information on terrorists and how it being distributes to a wide
range of government agency systems. Besides that, it also includes problems in managing data
resources.
2. Why was the consolidated terror watch list created? What are the benefits of the
list?
A database of suspected terrorists also known as the terrorist watch list created in response to
criticisms that multiple agencies were maintaining separate lists and that these agencies lacked a
consistent process to share relevant information concerning the individuals on each agencys list.
The consolidated terror watch list created to collect and maintain terrorist information and
nominate individual for inclusion in the Terrorist Screening Centre, TSC consolidated watch list.
In order to create terror watch list, TSC was established to organize the standardize information
about suspected terrorists between multiple government agencies into a single list to enhance
communication between agencies.
Some of the benefits from the watch list are it is easy to supply data for government systems.
Besides that, the list can be distributed to a wide range of government agency systems for use in
efforts to deter or detect the movements of known or suspected terrorist. At the same time, it can
be used for prescreening passengers from all over the world that traveling and entering United
State. Last but not lease, it can help to maintain countrys peacefulness.
3. Describe some of the weaknesses of the watch list. What management, organization,
and technology factors are responsible for these weaknesses?
Some of the weaknesses of the watch list are, the list contains inaccuracies and that policies for
nomination and removal from the lists are not uniform between governmental departments.
Moreover, there has also been public outcry resulting from the size of the list and well-publicized
incidents of obvious non-terrorists finding that they are included on the list. Besides that, it also
leads to the inclusion of people that do not belong on watch lists known as false positives. At
the same time, there are also weaknesses on quality and accuracy of the data in the TSC
consolidated watch list. It also being criticize that, whether or not a list that will soon grow to
over a million entries could have any real usefulness or significance in apprehending terrorist.

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4. How effective is the system of watch lists described in this case study?

TSC watch list information can be used as a tool to help government agencies to identified
suspected terrorist when they travel to another country, especially U.S.A. New nominations,
modifications to existing records and deletions are updated to the TSC watch list regularly. Its
information is used to detect or deter the movement of known or suspected terrorists. For
example, airlines use TSCs data in their No Fly and Selectee lists for pre-scanning passengers
while the US Customs and Border Protection system uses the watch list data to help screen
travelers entering U.S.A. The State Department system screens applications for visas to enter the
United States and US residents applying for passports, while state and local law enforcement
agencies use the FBI system to help with arrests, detentions and other criminal justice activities.
Different subset of data in this watch list is used by different agencies for different missions.
When an individual makes an airline reservation, arrives at a US port of entry, applies for a US
visa or is stopped by state or local police within the United States, the frontline screening agency
or airline conducts a name based search of the individual against the records from the terrorist
watch list database. When the computerized name matching system generates a hit or potential
name match against a watch list record, the airline or agency will review each potential match.
Matches that are clearly positive or exact matches that are inconclusive (uncertain or difficult to
verify) are referred to the applicable screening agencys intelligence or operations center and to
the TSC for closer examination. IN turn, TSC checks its databases and other sources, including
classified
databases
maintained
by
the NCTC and FBI to confirm whether the individual is a positive, negative or inconclusive
match to the watch list record.
Besides of helping government agency to track suspected terrorists, this TSC watch list still
causes many disadvantages, such as false positives or inaccuracies, etc. False positives
created many misspelling and alternate variations suspected terrorist names made some mistakes
that heavily impact on normal travelers. Inaccuracies, government departmental policies for
nomination and removal from the lists are not uniform. In addition, many people who are
considered as non terrorists were also found themselves in the list. Moreover, inconsistent
record counts, duplicate records and records that lacked data fields or had unclear sources are
also bring many troubles to the government as well as normal citizens.

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5. If you were responsible for the management of the TSC watch list database, what
steps would you take to correct some of the weaknesses?
To correct some of the weaknesses of TSC watch list database, it requires a lot of effort and time
in order to provide more sophisticated system. To avoid wrongful inclusion, not a simple and
quick process but TSC could integrate the list with data in airline reservation system to include
more specific information such as gender, middle name or date of birth in their reservation
records. Therefore, these would decrease the probability of false matches. TSC also needs to
quickly updating the list with new information and removing people from the list especially U.S.
citizens or person who were no longer deemed a threat. This can be illustrated in the case of
Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens) whose name was flagged as being on a no fly list
and denial of entry into the United States. This shows that the watch list database does not
provide accurate information because he is a citizen of the country. Therefore, TSC needs to
conduct closer examination and integrate that list with those maintained by airlines, individual
states and other localities using more information to differentiate individuals. Besides that, to
improve the system, TSC could integrate with FBI to set up its standard and provide consistent
procedures for nominating individuals to the list, performing modifications to information and
not relaying those changes to other governmental offices.
6. Do you believe that the watch list represents a significant threat to individuals
privacy or Constitutional rights? Why or why not?
This issue remains a big question mark due to its positive effects and drawbacks. The watch list
database could provide even precise information by involving more personal data about
individuals on the list. Therefore, this could be very useful for federal agencies to use this
additional information to improve screening and help reduce the number of people who are
unnecessarily for investigation and questioning. However, this issue had drawn criticism for
potential privacy violations. This brings up the matter regarding the sensitivity and safety of the
data it would collect. The responsible agencies should think of the consequences that the data
may fall into wrong hands and the person may use the personal data to commit any unlawful acts
or crimes if the system had been breached or hijacked.

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