What Is The MATRIX?

The Multistate Anti-Terrorism Information Exchange (MATRIX) hasn't been getting much publicity. It's a network of informational databases designed to provide US government agencies with fast access to billions of public and commercial records from a wide variety of sources.

The MATRIX was originally supposed to involve only 13 consenting US States. But now, as The Salt Lake Tribune reports, at least 33 states have contributed private citizens' records "whether they know it or not." Furthermore, concerns about civil liberties and breaches of privacy have prompted "six of the original 13 participating states to drop out."

Analysts are beginning to suspect that the MATRIX could be another secretive government program which has drifted far beyond its democratic boundaries. A bit like the Iran-Contra affair, but this time the victims are ordinary US citizens.