The CBP document reveals that the results from Babel X will be stored in other CBP operated systems for 75 years. The tool is also used to identify potential derogatory and confirmatory information associated with travelers and persons of interest. Critics argue that the use of such tools and the collection of sensitive information on a large scale infringes on privacy rights and could potentially chill protected speech and association online.
Key takeaways:
- The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is using an AI-powered monitoring tool called Babel X to screen travelers, including U.S. citizens, refugees, and people seeking asylum. This tool can link their social media posts to their Social Security number and location data.
- Babel X, made by Babel Street, provides access to publicly and commercially available information in more than 200 languages across the public, “dark,” and “deep” webs. It can perform “sentiment analysis” and is also able to perform “identity resolution” in the context of national security.
- The CBP document specifies that the use of Babel X is covered by Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) for ESTA, the DHS’s Automatic Targeting System (ATS), and the CBP’s Publicly Available Social Media Monitoring and Situational Awareness Initiative.
- CBP has been purchasing access to location data without a warrant, a practice that critics say violates the Fourth Amendment. CBP paid Babel Street more than $2.7 million for an annual subscription to Babel X in 2019, and another $265,000 in 2020.