The Washington Post is reporting the Department of Homeland Security is collecting detailed electronic records on the travel habits of millions of Americans who fly, drive or take cruises abroad. The government is retaining data on the persons with whom they travel or plan to stay, the personal items they carry during their journeys, and even the books that travelers have carried. In an effort to assess the security threat posed by all travelers entering the country, the Department of Homeland Security keeps these records for 15 years in the department’s Automated Targeting System.