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TSA Announces Major Privacy Changes to Controversial ‘Nude’ Body Scanners

Jul. 21, 2011 7:16am

TSA Nude Body Scanners Advanced Image TechnologyAfter months of debate and controversy, The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), is making major changes to its privacy policies. The federal agency says it’s installing new technology in some U.S. airports so when a traveler goes through checkpoint security, a generic outline of a person will be shown instead of the image of a naked body.

The agency says the change is intended to protect travelers’ privacy rights while securing commercial air travel — a balancing act that has been tough thus far. Across the nation, TSA has received scrutiny over the use of advanced image technology (AIT), which has exposed travelers to “nude scanners.” Wired has more about the controversy that has been brewing for some time now:

First tested in 2007, the AIT scanners became the object of intense media and public scrutiny around Thanksgiving. In addition to privacy concerns, some experts maintained the scanners’ safety was unproven, and that the technology was ineffective in detecting smuggled weapons and explosives. Travelers are permitted to opt-out of the scan, but are then subjected to an aggressive pat-down procedure.

The new, less intrusive technology will be used in 40 airports, including in Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Miami and Newark. Similar to the AIT, but much less intrusive, the new software is designed to recognize items on the passenger that could pose a security threat. The TSA explains the benefits and changes that will come as a result of utilizing this new technology:

As with the current version of AIT, the areas identified as containing potential threats will require additional screening. The generic outline will be identical for all passengers. If no potential threat items are detected, an “OK” will appear on the monitor with no outline. By eliminating the passenger-specific image associated with the current version of AIT, a separate TSA officer will no longer be required to view the image in a remotely-located viewing room.

Later this year, the TSA will also roll out an expedited security program for frequent fliers. This upcoming initiative is intended to individualize security rather than relying on only uniform, blanket policies to secure American airports.

Interestingly, this change in body scanner technology has been announced at the same time that the TSA has been victorious in a U.S. appeals court case surrounding the use of its controversial scanners. The agency plans to eventually use this technology for more machines at more airports. Due to the lack of nudity inherent in these scanners, it is likely that people will be more comfortable and less opposed to their use.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

(h/t Wired)

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Comments (55)

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  • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 10:57am

    Is the scanner still radioactive? Yes. Still won’t be scanned.

    Will they insist that I be sexually molested in lieu of being irradiated? Yes? Still won’t fly.

    Disband the TSA.

    Report this comment

    Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
  • TH30PH1LUS
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 10:51am

    I have flown El Al (Israeli airline). Awesome security. No scanners shooting radiation at you. No strangers groping the ladies. Totally safe.

    Our government is lying to us. You can see & feel exactly what your government thinks of you when you stand in a TSA line, or at the DMV. That experience will soon translate to your medical care once Obama Care morphs the medical industry into another government agency.

    Report this comment

    TH30PH1LUS  
  • whotnaught
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 10:47am

    They can pretend to not look at your nakedness all they want but it’s still dangerous exposure. TSA agents are coming down with cancer at an alarming rate. I always opt-out. Everyone should. Then we would have enough outrage to get rid of the grope-downs.

    Just came in to the US via the UK. You don’t take off your shoes and they looked at me real funny when I had all my horrendously dangerous liquids dutifully placed in a quart sized ziplock bag.

    No Cancer Machines either, metal detectors yes.

    Report this comment

    whotnaught  
  • RightPolitically
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 10:44am

    Privatize TSA and fire most of those fools now!

    Report this comment

    RightPolitically  
  • brntout
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 10:14am

    Has anyone considered what happens if the T.S.A does alert on an explosives carrier,Think that with the security movement involved that he would wait to be whisked off to a “kaboom room”? ( Most likely the nearest bathroom as they are built on the outside perimeter of the structure to minimize terminal damage if it did manage to get him/her there and managed to set it off). No he would be amongst a large group and would seize the oppotunity to take out as many as he can.IMHO

    Report this comment

    brntout  
  • Grumpy old Flight Nurse
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 10:04am

    Those who are willing to sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither
    Paraphrasing.
    Benjamin Franklin

    Report this comment

    Grumpy old Flight Nurse  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 9:26am

    this was available months ago, they just needed to see how far obama could push America into his degeneracy. he idolizes Hitler, like all anti-Americans and muslims do, and we are seeing the depraved results of his power.

    Report this comment

    BurntHills  
    • Matlor
      Posted on July 23, 2011 at 11:48am

      @Burn

      I think you’re exact on that point they had this all along. Looks a hell of a lot simpler to me. If they had used this in the beginning there probably wouldn’t have been the outrage.

      I used to do this line of work alongside the National Guard right after 9/11; when the NG left, I did too.
      I must say it is better than pre-9/11. Yes there is overkill and stupidity still, but pre-9/12, airport security screening was worthless! I remember.

      Report this comment

      Matlor  
  • Dismayed Veteran
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 9:23am

    There has to be some security measures. The measures in place on 9/11 didn’t work. The measures introduced after 9/11 are ineffective.

    What we should do is follow the Isreali security measures. Profiling is the answer not 3oz bottles.

    Finally, what would happen if we all opted for a national pat down day. Instead of opting for the scanner, every traveller opts for the pat down. In the world of labor relations, this is called “working to the rule”. It is a highly effective way to slow things down.

    Report this comment

    Dismayed Veteran  
  • powhatan
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 9:22am

    Somehow, I really do not trust the TSA at this point in time.

    Report this comment

    powhatan  
  • cobra two
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 9:10am

    Remember Tyranny Starts at Airport. TSA.

    Report this comment

    cobra two  
  • Secret Squirrel
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:55am

    .
    They lied when they said the machines were not capable of storing images.
    They lied when they admitted the machines could, but they don’t.
    When the images turned up on the internet they had no choice but to admit they lied.
    Why should I believe them now?

    Report this comment

    Secret Squirrel  
  • nptden
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:55am

    Will all the BS they still let Muslims walk through with their horse-**** garb on. Thankyou Barry.

    Report this comment

    nptden  
  • jungle J
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:43am

    i am sure that the change will costthe taxpayer plenty.It is all like ghetto hustle….

    Report this comment

    jungle J  
    • nptden
      Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:52am

      The TSA is a ghetto hustle. Why do we have felons getting hired?..Most are illiterate, and hired because they are black. Blacks with nothing to merit the job. This is atrocious. Another Diversity Program to put unqualified minorities into a federal job.. Time to call a spade a spade.

      Report this comment

      nptden  
  • SingerGuy
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:32am

    Until the TSA loans out a few of these scanners to academia and submits to the peer review process to independently certify the radiation levels I will continue to opt out of being scanned by them.

    If my business travel picks up again I’m seriously thinking of Amtrak or rental car to get me from SLC to LAX/SFO and skip flying altogether.

    Report this comment

    SingerGuy  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on July 21, 2011 at 11:34am

      Got your back on PUBLISHED, TESTED radiation levels!!!

      The TSA should also be outraged by this. Their union should even be outraged! WHO KNOWS how much radiation they are subjected to? (dangling participle)

      Consider a charter flight instead of driving all the way?

      How about we start a PRIVATE airline/charter service?
      We would operate as a charter service. Only background checked members would be allowed to fly.
      We could fly at ease and without worry and without TSA probing and bombarding us with unknown amounts of radiation.

      Report this comment

      TomFerrari  
  • brntout
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:31am

    Has anyone thought maybe a sonogram would be more of a deterrent as sound wave based weapons are used to detonate i.e.d’s? Whoops might be too dangerous for the explosive carrier and T.S.A agent.

    Report this comment

    brntout  
  • Secessionista
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:30am

    The security officials who did the pat downs, aka, sexual assaults, had a responsibility to say “no, I am not going to do this to an ordinary citizen”. They didn’t. They were paid to commit crimes. Convict them all. Their supervisors are guilty of conspiracy to commit felonies. They deserve life in prison.

    Report this comment

    Secessionista  
  • Secessionista
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:28am

    TSA officials have performed over 100,000 sexual assaults against American citizens. When are we going to send them all to jail for this organized crime against humanity? It was a conspiracy, and it demonstrates the government’s insane desire to get into our pants.

    I demand criminal convictions.

    Report this comment

    Secessionista  
    • Matlor
      Posted on July 23, 2011 at 12:11pm

      @Sess

      Yeah let’s send all of them to jail every security person @ airports, better yet let’s just have no security. That worked well for NY & DC pre-9/12.
      Please!

      Report this comment

      Matlor  
  • brntout
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:22am

    Put a uniform on someone in a government agency and all of a sudden I am the law.How about our military step in and take over this inept sreening department.After all they are gov’t issue.At least a respect of the public’s privacy would be heightened and they would know better who the potential threats are.

    Report this comment

    brntout  
  • thenabrd
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:18am

    and i’m supposed to believe what the tsa is saying now? uh huh, yeah sure, right, i’m just supposed to “forget” all those other “truths” the tsa has told us about scanners, policies, pat downs, etc. in the past. sorry but i’m not buying it, now or ever. the tsa has a history of lying, why would anyone believe they’re telling the truth now??!! we’re supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around. so keep your grubby hands off my person and your radiation away from me!

    Report this comment

    thenabrd  
  • formergasman
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:01am

    Just how, exactly, are people supposed to know which scanner is in fact being used?
    If you can’t see the display monitor you won’t know and the TSA can just lie about which scanner is being used.

    Report this comment

    formergasman  
  • GENEPAGLIARI
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 7:54am

    THEY still need to stop the personal pat downs. The invasions of privacy that go on every day in this country are intolerable.

    Report this comment

    GENEPAGLIARI  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 7:52am

    The ONLY PRIVACY changes I want to read about tsa are one: that they are G-O-N-E and outta bidness.

    Report this comment

    kickagrandma  
    • Banter
      Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:29am

      However, I fear the next privacy issue change you will hear is a requirement to present ID when going through the scanner.

      Report this comment

      Banter  
  • SamIamTwo
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 7:50am

    You think they would they would have thought of this in the first dam place. I bet that option was discussed before the drawings were sent to the mfg floor.

    Report this comment

    SamIamTwo  
    • MidWestMom
      Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:21am

      I agree.

      And I wonder if this isn’t a case of “give them a little something so they’ll stop whining about everything”….ie change the scanner picture and we’ll all shut up about the whole [illegal] process.

      Report this comment

      MidWestMom  
    • HumbleCitizen
      Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:48am

      Absolutely Midwestmom. Just like we do a child throwing a temper tantrum when they want a pony, we give ‘em a sucker. Consider this instead, a hollow “victory” of sorts and continue the pressure. Perhaps a petition? “I won’t fly unitl…..” and send the petitions to the major airlines. Hit ‘em where it hurts (the pocket) is the only way to affect change.

      Report this comment

      HumbleCitizen  
  • JPR
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 7:42am

    The Israelis do not use them at all….

    Report this comment

    JPR  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on July 21, 2011 at 7:53am

      For the life of me I cannot see how *any* “security” measure can be forced on us like this by the government. The 4th Amendment is pretty clear and does not contain the word “except” in it, not once. It’s not the methods we should focus on, it’s the very notion that the government can demand a warrantless search on us in order to allow us to conduct our daily business. The very thought is anathema to the founding principles of this nation.

      Thanks George Bush, and thanks Barak Obama, and a big thanks to the knee jerk complicit Congress, for foisting this monstrosity upon us. Thanks a pantload.

      Report this comment

      GhostOfJefferson  
    • Banter
      Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:36am

      @JPR

      Which goes to show that this is not about security, it’s about control.

      Report this comment

      Banter  
  • PelositheGreat
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 7:23am

    and the radiation out put of these units? Someone said they will penetrat deeper for belly bombs. Anyone know?

    Report this comment

    PelositheGreat  
  • MidWestMom
    Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:37am

    I agree…. My father flew at least twice a week, every week for 10 years before he retired a few months before 9/ll. He’s flown several times since 9/11 and has commented more than once about the difference in passenger behaviour. He says before 9/11 at least 80% of the passengers were oblivious to what was going on inside the plane…they were buried in paperwork, newspapers, laptops, books etc. 20% were paying attention to their surroundings. Since 9/11 he’s seen those percentages flip-flop.

    Report this comment

    MidWestMom  
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