TSA Body Scanner

[Alfeo Dixon SOC]

Full-body scanners under attack by consumer group, pilots

As the Transportation Security Administration continues to deploy hundreds

of additional full-body scanners to airports nationwide, the devices are

coming under increasing attack. A consumer group called the Electronic

Privacy Information Center has filed a lawsuit against the government,

challenging its use of the scanners, which can essentially see through the

clothing of air travelers. The suit questions TSA's guarantees that the

machines' images of travelers will never be saved or sent elsewhere, and

will only be seen by an agent who views them at a remote location. In fact,

the suit alleges, the government "has required that these devices have the

ability to store, record and transmit the images that are captured," so they

are equipped with Ethernet connectivity, USB access and hard disk storage

capability. The suit claims that TSA apparently has no way to prevent its

employees who view the images of "naked" travelers from using their own

cameras or cell phones to capture photos of those images. And it notes that

the full-body scanning systems run on Windows XP, which is "prone to

security vulnerabilities" - i.e., can easily be hacked. The suit also

questions whether federal officials have done enough to verify the safety of

the scanners, which rely on backscatter radiation to produce images; and

whether TSA agents fully inform travelers that they have the option of

submitting to a pat-down search instead of going through the scanners. The

group is asking the court to suspend the program.

Meanwhile, the president of the union representing American Airlines pilots

has sent a letter to its 11,000 members suggesting that they refuse to go

through the full-body scanners at airports and require pat-downs instead.

The letter from Capt. David Bates said the TSA's security screening

procedure for pilots "has spun out of control and does nothing to improve

national security." He said the full-body scanners "produce ionizing

radiation, which could be harmful to your health," especially since pilots

already get heavier than normal doses just from flying frequently. Although

the letter urges pilots to opt for pat-downs instead of scans, "There is

absolutely no denying that the enhanced pat-down is a demeaning experience,"

Bates wrote, saying that pilots should request pat-downs conducted out of

public view. "Maintain composure and professionalism at all times and

recognize that you are probably being videotaped," the letter said.

TSA issues rules on toner cartridges, new MacBook

Travelers were advised by the Transportation Security Administration last

week that it will no longer allow passengers to transport toner and ink

cartridges of 16 ounces or more on U.S.-bound flights, in either checked

bags or carry-on luggage. The new security advisory came in the wake of a

failed terrorist attempt to set off bombs aboard international flights. The

bombs, sent via commercial shippers from Yemen, used an explosive powder

hidden in the toner cartridges of printers. Meanwhile, TSA said that

travelers who are carrying Apple's new 11-inch MacBook Air laptops do not

have to remove the computers form their carry-on bags when they go through

airport screening - although they do have to remove the larger 13-inch

versions. Earlier this year, TSA said that electronic devices that are

smaller than standard laptops - things like netbook computers, e-readers,

and tablet computers like the iPad - do not have to be removed from carry-on

luggage during airport screening.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jess Haas SOC]

Yeah I usually go with the pat down when I run into those stupid things. Im not a big fan of someone sitting in a dark room looking at naked pictures of me without atleast getting dinner and a movie out of the deal.

[Janice Arthur]

Hi guys;

 

I think the checks and balances of who sees the images/keeps them, etc. will be sorted out.

 

I've heard that the radiation is minimal which is what I worry about not that someone may be seeing a "naked body". Don't flatter yourself, very few of us are in the top 10% there. Maybe you're on the other side and they're grossed out and want to get rid of your image as soon as they can!

 

Enough lawsuits etc will come out of it that are above my world, good luck with those. As you can tell I don't mind.

 

JA

[Alfeo Dixon SOC]

Don't flatter yourself, very few of us are in the top 10%

 

Damn Janice, way to make us boys feel good about ourselves...

 

I guess I'll order myself a "feel good" vest with a front plate molded with six packs and pecks to cover my sagging gut

 

you and your 10%

[Janice Arthur]

Don't flatter yourself, very few of us are in the top 10%

 

Damn Janice, way to make us boys feel good about ourselves...

 

I guess I'll order myself a "feel good" vest with a front plate molded with six packs and pecks to cover my sagging gut

 

you and your 10%

 

 

Alfeo;

 

The screeners will see those abs and pecks and it'll be the talk of the station.

 

Joan, "Come over here, my God that guy's a GQ model."

 

Harriet, "He's got to go first class, I'm calling his gate to get him upgraded."

 

Joan, "Do you think he'd autograph his picture? I'm keeping this one. Hit print!"

 

Just a fantasy senario.

 

JA

[Henry Gelhart]

 

Joan, "Come over here, my God that guy's a GQ model."

 

 

Just to clarify: Steadicam Operator = GQ Model

[Sydney Seeber]

Hi guys;

 

I think the checks and balances of who sees the images/keeps them, etc. will be sorted out.

leaked body scans

[Kevin Andrews SOC]

As long as the radiation is very minimal, even for pregnant women, then I say scan me up baby.

 

We don't realize in our sheltered lives in the U.S. how dangerous the world is or how many groups want to do us harm. If this is what needs to happen to get to the next level of security, then everyone needs to go along with it. It sure beats the alternative.

 

I say scan me up, print it out, send it to your mama if you want. But please do your best to find that one guy that could cause the next big tragedy.

 

 

Safety over Convenience every time B)

[Janice Arthur]

Sydney;

 

I think there will be leaks, and I think someone lost there job over that, because clearly it was illegal to do so. Any CSI show shows how they trace IP addresses.

 

I was refering to the legal aspect of logging, keeping, security of the data bases, etc.; that is an issue that will be refined and further defined.

 

I do think that a Vitruvian man picture in Gray and white of me or anyone else in a completely asexual pose is not much. Our over-sex-themed society is up-in- arms about this intrusion when any magazine you open shows just about that much skin. (They also look better than us naked!) Ask anyone on the street and they laud about the beauty of the human form, now some are apalled at this asexual picture was taken to keep them safe. They act like the human body is something new to us, guess what its not.

 

In reality 10s of millions of scans have been taken and only a few have leaked; those are good odds.

 

I'm with Kevin; keep us safe; keep the bad guys at bay. Its a reality in the name of security and technology progression. Think of the scanners in the Arnold movie, Total Recall, those we all thought were just cool. Those, better scanners, are coming but we need to start somewhere. As others have said just because you make the internal combustion engine does not mean you instantly invent the Ferrari. It takes the model T first.

 

Good debate.

 

JA

[Alfeo Dixon SOC]

I'm with Kevin; keep us safe; keep the bad guys at bay. Its a reality in the name of security and technology progression.

And if I can get an upgrade or date from them... I'm all in too!!!

Think of the scanners in the Arnold movie, Total Recall, those we all thought were just cool. Those, better scanners, are coming but we need to start somewhere.

 

Now that scares me... to see the bones is a lot of radiation... but by then, we may have already burned off the ozone and living in a Riddick world

 

 

-Alfeo

[Tom Daigon]

Now that scares me... to see the bones is a lot of radiation... but by then, we may have already burned off the ozone and living in a Riddick world

 

 

-Alfeo

 

And by then you will probably look a lot more like Arnold Schwarzenegger...

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

I'm with Kevin; keep us safe; keep the bad guys at bay. Its a reality in the name of security and technology progression. Think of the scanners in the Arnold movie, Total Recall, those we all thought were just cool. Those, better scanners, are coming but we need to start somewhere. As others have said just because you make the internal combustion engine does not mean you instantly invent the Ferrari. It takes the model T first.

 

 

No it doesn't keep us safe, it's called security theater for a reason.

 

The danger is'nt in what you can carry on board, it's what you can ship....

 

cargo isn't scanned

 

Think about that for a while

 

TSA is a smoke and mirrors dog and pony show that is designed to make you feel safe, but it's far from making flying safer.

[Sydney Seeber]

Sydney;

keep us safe; keep the bad guys at bay. Its a reality in the name of security and technology progression. Think of the scanners in the Arnold movie, Total Recall, those we all thought were just cool. Those, better scanners, are coming but we need to start somewhere. As others have said just because you make the internal combustion engine does not mean you instantly invent the Ferrari. It takes the model T first.

 

Good debate.

 

JA

My issue is twofold. One, they don't keep us any safer than the methods already in place a couple of years ago. It's highly likely the scanners can't see any number of low budget techniques designed to kill people in closed spaces. It's only a matter of time before the boobie bombers make their way over here or somewhere politically useful to them, lord knows AQ has been threatening westerners for over a year with that one. You simply cannot guard against every threat. If a few douchers out there want to kill people badly enough, chances are extremely likely some of them will find a way on a plane no matter what safety measures anyone (lobbyists) put in place. There's a limit to what safeguards we need, which brings me to point two...

 

These scanners and safety checks are simply over the top and an invasion of privacy. It's not a body image thing for me personally... 20 years' worth of parading my ass in front of a crowd while playing organized sports will eliminate that kinda thing. It's simply what's decent and necessary. While I do not believe as some have said recently in the media that the TSA is full of a bunch of pedos, I do believe the scanners will undoubtedly influence who passes through from time to time. Here comes the Hooter's Airline staff, (Are they still in business?) how about I hook up my broheim back in the booth stuck staring at a tiny screen all day. That sort of thing. I believe this new step has crossed a line and many of the recent complaints are valid.

[William Demeritt]

REALLY interesting article on the whole topic.

 

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/744199---israelification-high-security-little-bother

[Sydney Seeber]

Yeah, but they'll shoot yer laptop