In-Flight

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security are reportedly at work to enable the tapping into and tracking in-flight internet communications. The agencies are petitioning the Federal Communications Commission to enable easier access to the satellite based Internet communications on board aircraft.

Boeing first tested inflight WiFi service in 2003 aboard a Lufthansa flight from Germany. United Airlines was the first American carrier equipping aircraft with wireless routers, to make them WiFi hotspots

James Dempsey, executive director of the Center for Democracy and Technology , a civil rights group, based in Washington DC says the feds seek the "full ability to control all communications" on the aircraft.

Federal law enforcement wants to be able to intercept, block, or reroute e-mail to and from any airplane, but only after receiving a court order, to maintain due process. The petition filed with the FCC asks that in-flight Internet Service Providers would have to give the government access to the system within 10 minutes of receiving a court order.

Officials also want to be able to identify passengers not just by the Internet Protocol address, and by their seat number. Concerns are that terrorists could more easily use the internet to coordinate attacks, or possibly detonate explosives previously placed on a flight.

"The use of satellite-based communications and data services onboard aircraft could potentially facilitate a coordinated attack between (1) a person on the aircraft and a person on the ground, (2) persons traveling on different aircraft, and/or (3) persons traveling on the same aircraft located in different sections of the cabin," says the petition.

FMI: www.fcc.gov, www.fbi.gov