FBI data mining, here we go again

edward

[/QUOTE=]The FBI is seeking $12 million in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 for its Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force to set up a National Security Branch Analysis Center, with 59 employees, including 23 contractors and five FBI agents.

Justice Department budget documents submitted to Congress predict the center will hold 6 billion records by 2012 and "the universe of subjects will expand exponentially." That would equal "20 separate 'records' for each man, woman and child in the United States," the congressmen wrote.[/QUOTE]

This might make some people feel safer, but judging on their past record I still think that they are trying to collect too much data. If one wants to find a needle in a haystack one should start by making the haystack smaller not larger.

What the heck is the NSA doing with all of their data that they can't share. The more data collected the greater the chance that it will be misused or end up in the wrong hands.

The FBI was not successful with their previous massive attempt, nor did they operate within the law.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/nation...ta_Mining.html

russ_watters

I'm not sure you understand the concept of data mining. The idea is to gather as much data as you can get and use powerful computers to analyze it.

edward

I definitely understand Russ. The problem is that the outside contractors who will be operating those powerful computers don't have a solid record for being reliable.

The previous data mining program was shut down in 05 because it was unmanageable. I can't see where an even larger system is going to do any better.