New Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security
measures, which include a full-body image scan and more
thorough pat-downs, have caused a lot of controversy and
debate across the country. Many groups have raised concerns
about privacy, personal space, and the effectiveness of
these security measures. While it is likely this debate will
continue on for some time, it is important to understand the
new procedures to better prepare for your next flight.
!! Steps !!
* Check to see what security measures your airport uses. As of Nov.
15, 2010, 68 airports across the nation use TSA advanced imaging
technology and a total of 385 units are in place. The TSA keeps a
list of all airports using the full-body image scanners on their
website www.tsa.gov, or you can call your airport ahead of time.
Know the facts about TSA body scanners. With misinformation
spreading about the new TSA procedures, it is vital to know fact
from fiction. The TSA uses two types of full-body image scanners,
millimeter wave and backscatter units, to detect potential threats
underneath clothing without using any physical contact.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved both types of
technology as safe for all passengers. The images are evaluated by a
TSA officer separate from the one assisting passengers with the
scanner, and those officers are prohibited from bringing cell-phones,
cameras or any photo-enabled device into the viewing area. After the
TSA officer clears the passenger, the image is immediately deleted
from the system and cannot be saved, printed or transferred. The TSA
estimates the entire process takes less than 1 minute.
* Millimeter Wave Units: This type of scanner bounces
electromagnetic waves off the body of passengers to create a
3-dimensional black and white image, similar to a photo negative.
* Backscatter Units: This type of scanner uses low-level X-rays to
generate a reflection of the passenger's body that resembles a
chalk etching. According to the TSA, the radiation exposure is
equivalent to being in an airplane for about 2 minutes.
* Know your rights. The full-body image scanners are optional and if
you choose not to use them, you will receive an alternate
screening that includes a pat-down performed by an officer of the
same gender as yourself. Previously, pat-downs were reserved for
passengers who set off the metal detector, but now they are used
for any passenger who opts out of the scanners or to resolve
anomalies detected by the scan. The new pat-down procedure allows
TSA officers to use fingers and palms to feel around genitals,
including the groin and breasts, over a passenger's clothing.
You can request that a pat-down be conducted in private and to
have a travel partner be with you during the screening.
* Remove certain items before passing through a scanning unit. Just
like going through a metal detector, it is recommended you remove
items from your pockets, jewelry, watches, belts and cell phones
before entering the scanner. These items can be perceived as an
irregularity by the officer evaluating the images and further
screening would then need to take place.
* Know where to voice any concerns you may have. Whether or not you
feel comfortable receiving a full-body image scan or a thorough
pat-down, these are the new requirements and no one can board a
plane without successfully passing through security. If you would
like to voice concern, as many others have done, write to your
congressional representative. Also, various online petitions have
begun to remove or modify the new security procedures.
!! Warnings !!
* Although the TSA claims it does not store any images, their
systems are capable of storing and transmitting images for
"testing, training and evaluation purposes."[1]
!! Sources And Citations !!
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
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