Your terror score

If you've travelled to or from the country in the past four years, you have probably been given your terrorist rating score. It's sort of like your credit score, except that unlike your credit score, you are not allowed to know what it is, and it will be kept on file for 40 years.

I've re-arranged the article I found in today's NY Times by placing a paragraph that came near the end of the article between the first and second paragraphs of the actual article:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Without their knowledge, millions of Americans and foreigners crossing U.S. borders in the past four years have been assigned scores generated by U.S. government computers rating the risk that the travelers are terrorists or criminals.

The government notice says some or all of the ATS data about an individual may be shared with state, local and foreign governments for use in hiring decisions and in granting licenses, security clearances, contracts or other benefits. In some cases, the data may be shared with courts, Congress and even private contractors.

The travelers are not allowed to see or directly challenge these risk assessments, which the government intends to keep on file for 40 years.

So, whoopee. These data can be given to others to screw you, but you can't even see them.