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"The more I think about TIA, the more ludicrous the notion gets. I get very few telemarketing calls and very little junk mail. Why? Because I try to pay cash as often as possible (the exception being gasoline, it's very convenient to pay at the pump, but gasoline purchases only tell someone a pattern of roughly where I travel). It won't be too hard for terrorists to avoid leaving a significant data trail - the reason so much data is available for most Americans is that they don't care how much data they leave in their wake. But terrorists will care."

Interestingly enough, your lack of a pattern may actually be a pattern, as far as TIA goes. Since most Americans leave a long and detailed trail of their purchases, I'd assume that suspicion would accrue to those who don't.

I could be wrong, but it may just be that your pattern is one that will cause you extra grief.

Since most Americans leave a long and detailed trail of their purchases, I'd assume that suspicion would accrue to those who don't. I could be wrong, but it may just be that your pattern is one that will cause you extra grief.

However, does not leaving a data trail rise to the level of probable cause? In order for your idea to bear fruition to the feds, IMO they would have to significantly lower the threshhold of probable cause. There are many, many people who are concerned about their privacy but are not engaging in criminal activity - whereas probable cause means there is a clear indication that the suspect activity rises to the criminal.