International Contest Fixin' to Find Out

We've all been there. Standing for ages in a security line at an inconsequential office building only to be given a security pass that a high school student could have faked. Or being forced to take off our shoes at an airport that can't even screen its luggage.

If you thought the accounting profession was bad news, just wait 'til you hear how stupid the security industry has become. Even before 9/11 a whole army of bumbling amateurs has taken it upon themselves to figure out pointless, annoying, intrusive, illusory and just plain stupid measures to "protect" our security.

It's become a global menace. From the nightclub in Berlin that demands the home address of its patrons, to the phone company in Britain that won't let anyone pay more than fifty pounds a month from a bank account, to the TSA's requiring fingerprinting of local pilots who wish to use their own airports, the world has become infested with bumptious administrators' competing to hinder or harass you -- and often for no good reason whatever.

The sensitive and sensible folk at Privacy International have endured enough of this treatment. So until March 15th 2003, they are running an international competition to discover the world's most pointless, intrusive, stupid and self-serving security measures.

The competition is open to anyone. Winners will be announced at the 13th Computers, Freedom & Privacy conference in New York on April 3rd.

Nominations should be as specific as possible, mentioning the name of the guilty parties, and wherever possible, including evidence and references.

Any government or private sector initiative or action can be nominated. Legislation and technology can also be nominated.

The judges welcome nominations in the form of narratives and anecdotes.

Nominations to: stupidsecurity@privacy.org; We'd like to hear your stories, as well: editor@aero-news.net