TSA's Database of Jerks

For nearly three years, the Transportation Security Administration has been assembling a database of airline passengers who are overly rude or threaten a screener. USAToday published an article on the database Monday, reporting:

Incidents in the database include threats, bullying or verbal abuse, remarks about death or violence, brandishing a real or fake weapon, intentionally scaring workers or excessive displays of anger such as punching a wall or kicking equipment, [a TSA] report says.

The American Civil Liberties Union doesn't think much of the database, saying it has the potential for misuse. What if a screener just doesn't like your attitude and decides to include you in the database? Or the information, which could include "names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, home addresses and phone numbers of people involved in airport incidents, including aggressors, victims and witnesses" is misused by other agencies or accessed by hackers?

TSA officials say the database was created to protect workers, who are harassed and at times accosted. Besides, after about three years in use, 240 incidents have been submitted to the database, TSA says. Now, an incident can include more than one name. But still, just how many names can be in the database, exactly? Two times that? Maybe three times? Even if it is, say, 1,000, is that a lot? And do you have a good chance to be included?

Let's see, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics at the Transportation Department reported in March that 770 million passengers moved through all U.S. airports in 2009, that was on top of 812 million in 2008. With those numbers, 240 is put a bit in perspective.