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)