TSA Updates

Every now and then, we’ll  bring you updates to all things TSA. No, not every individual incident where someone complains but more general issues effecting all of us. 

First, the Electronic Privacy Information Center is claiming they have documents received through the Freedom of Information Act stating the Department of Homeland Security and TSA lied about studies relating to radiation exposure from body scanners. No news organization has picked up on this—at least none that I know of—and I am not familiar with EPIC. You be the judge.

http://epic.org/privacy/airtravel/backscatter/epic_v_dhs_radiation.html

Second, for a long time airports were allowed to petition the TSA to hire their own airport security personnel rather than have TSA. In late 2010, more and more airports were filing to do just that. In response, John Pistole, head of TSA, said he was putting a stop to it and no new airports would be allowed to get rid of TSA. 

Well, that has now been reversed—sort of. Airports can again apply but they must now prove, to TSA, why private screening would provide “a clear and substantial advantage to TSA’s security operations.”  Good luck with that one.

http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/24/6933905-no-more-tsa-screeners-airports-again-allowed-to-apply-to-opt-out

(Frank II)

Comments

[Austin]

A profile of EPIC is available at Source Watch:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Electronic_Privacy_Information_Center

[Paul]

Does increased passenger traffic count toward “a clear and substantial advantage to TSA’s security operations?" If so I bet some basic TSA vs non-TSA airport marketing polling would do.

[mumwooga]

My brother worked for EPIC for a bit. I think they do some great work, though your not having heard of them could be from their field usually covering more tech- than travel-related stuff...Also, their mission doesn't seem to package well for wide public digestion, no matter how noble. As a former journalist, I wouldn't ever be surprised about something important like that not getting picked up right away, or at all. There's more reliance on wire feeds now, total innundation from PR and marketing flacks (hey, everyne's gotta make a living), and slashed budgets all around. And more saucy/silly/sensationalistic stories elsewhere. Hope it does get investigated more soon.