EPIC Obtains Documents on Boater Tracking Program
In response to an EPIC FOIA lawsuit, the U.S. Coast Guard has released documents relating to a controversial boater tracking program, NAIS (National Automated Information System). According to the documents obtained by EPIC, boaters have "no expectation of privacy with regard to any information transmitted on AIS." They also reveal that the agency fuses AIS data with other intelligence data to develop detailed profiles on boaters. The agency has transferred AIS data, which is subject to the Privacy Act, to at least 75 federal, state, local, and private entities. EPIC is anticipating the release of additional documents.