“Boaters have “no expectation of privacy” according to DHS’s new boater surveillance program

MassPrivateI

DHS/Coast Guard are spying on American boaters and they’re forcing them to send their location to the Coast Guard every 15-30 seconds!

DHS is forcing boaters to purchase their own transponders which can go from $500 dollars to thousands of dollars! These transponders will ping their speed and location to DHS/Coast Guard,  FOREIGN governments and the UN!  

DHS/Coast Guard’s new boat-tracking system is called the “National Automatic Identification System” (NAIS). Click here to read more about DHS’s, NAIS system.

This September I warned boaters about DHS’s plan to create a national boat surveillance program.

“The NAIS program exceeds the stated purpose of marine safety and constitutes an ongoing risk to the privacy and civil liberties of mariners across the United States.”

BoatU.S., the nation’s largest organization of recreational boaters, said that the NAIS program “raises an array of confidentiality concerns with regard to the recreational boating public” and pointed out that few boaters would be aware that their boat location information would be made available to parties other than boaters and the Coast Guard.

Below are some disturbing facts taken from the “Coast Guard Policy for the Sharing of Automatic Identification System” (NAIS)…

“As a broadcast system (where communications are intended to be received by the public), there is no expectation of privacy with regard to any information transmitted on AIS.”

“Sharing information collected by NAIS with both governmental and non-governmental entities will result in (1) improved navigation safety and mariners’ situational awareness; (2) enhanced ability to identify and track vessels; and (3) heightened overall awareness of global maritime transactions to address threats to maritime transportation safety and security. Enhanced safety and security facilitates economic development, the free-flow of international commerce, and targeted environmental protection and conservation efforts.”

The following levels pertain to information collected by NAIS:

“Level A is unfiltered (real-time) information collected by NAIS that is less than 96 hours from initial time of transmission. Level A information may only be shared with U.S. or foreign government agencies (“Level A Entities”) for legitimate internal government use(i.e., law enforcement, maritime safety, defense, and security purposes).”

DHS/Coast Guard has 90 days to decide if they want to keep their surveillance hidden from the public…

“Level H. 90-Day Waiver. If the NAIS System Owner, Commandant (CG-761) determines, in consultation with the local USCG unit, that it is in the best interest of the U.S. government, they may authorize a temporary 90 day waiver to the information sharing guidelines contained in this instruction in order to allow immediate NAIS information access if needed, while the USCG confirms the information provided and completes administrative requirements.”

The excerpts below are taken from the Coast Guard’s “Encrypted Automatic Identification System, Interface Design Description” which describe how often boaters MUST transmit their location.

4.3.3.1. Dynamic Position Report:

4.3.3.1.1. – 3 knots: “When operating in the Restricted Mode (as defined in Section 3.3.2. of this Annex), Report Rate for BFT Dynamic Position Reports (Message 8, FID 56) shall be 30 seconds when Speed Over Ground (SOG) is less than 3 knots for more than 3 minutes.”

4.3.3.1.2. – 3 knots: “When operating in the Restricted Mode (as defined in Section 3.3.2. of this Annex), Report Rate for BFT Dynamic Position Reports (Message 8, FID 56) shall be 15 seconds when Speed Over Ground (SOG) is greater than 3 knots.”

4.3.3.3 Target of Interest (TOI) Message:

“When operating in the Restricted Mode (as defined in Section 3.3.2 of this Annex). Report Rate for the PI generated Target of Interest (TOI) message shall be every 15 seconds until canceled.”

US Coast Guard 21st Century Waterway Listening Session 2014: 

http://massprivatei.blogspot.com/2015/11/boaters-have-no-expectation-of-privacy.html